Mahmut Tanal alleges "plagiarism" and "forged signature" against former AKP MP

CHP Şanlıurfa deputy Mahmut Tanal , in his statement on the social media platform X, stated that Abdülkerim Gök, the 24th term AKP Şanlıurfa deputy and official in the Presidency's Strategy and Budget Department, was alleged to have published articles, theses and seminar studies of others as his own without citing the source while he was a faculty member at Harran University.

Tanal, noting that the investigation documents related to the matter also include allegations of forged signatures, said, “The documents clearly reveal which theses and articles were cited with the phrases ‘Copied work: …’ There is a statement from an academic who says, ‘The signature on the documents is not mine.’”

In his statement, Tanal posed the following questions to Harran University and YÖK :

• If these allegations are not true, what documents will you provide to refute them?
• If it is true, why wasn't a criminal complaint filed with the prosecutor's office?
• Why was no legal action initiated when there was a forged signature allegation?
• Has the file been submitted to YÖK in full?
• Have Abdülkerim Gök's academic titles – associate professor, professor – been re-examined?
• If these allegations are true, they constitute forged titles, forged documents, and academic theft. These are not only disciplinary offenses but also offenses that must be investigated ex officio under the Turkish Penal Code. If, according to the allegations, a three-year ban on applying for associate professorship is true, why was the forged document allegation reported to the Public Prosecutor's Office?
• Why hasn't a judicial process been initiated for these acts, which fall within the scope of the Turkish Penal Code and the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works?
• Why don't YÖK and university administration disclose this file to the public?
• How can the Presidency appoint someone with a questionable doctorate and associate professorship to such a position?

Mahmut Tanal stated that Harran University's silence further aggravates these allegations in the public eye and called on the Council of Higher Education, prosecutors and all relevant institutions to take action.