İstanbul prosecutor seeks to retire shortly after arrest of security guard

Hadi Salihoğlu, an İstanbul public prosecutor, has sought permission to retire one day after the arrest of his security guard as part of a police operation against a religious cult in Turkey, Turkish media reports said on Wednesday.

Salihoğlu’s security guard, Özdemir Uygun, was among dozens of people who were detained as part of an investigation into Adnan Oktar, a notorious religious cult leader, TV personality and creationist, and his followers earlier this month.

Uygun was arrested on Tuesday.

In a written statement on Wednesday, Salihoğlu said he sent a petition to the Justice Ministry earlier in the day asking for permission to retire.

“I felt the need today to quit my post and retire with the approval of my family,” he said in his statement.

Salihoğlu’s name came to public attention in Turkey in the aftermath of corruption investigations that were exposed Dec.17-25, 2013 in which the close circle of then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was implicated.