Worker Killed in Front of Çalık Holding
According to details of the incident, Erol Eğrek (52) went to Çalık Holding’s headquarters in Istanbul’s Şişli district yesterday afternoon to demand 7 million Turkish lira (approximately $210,000) in unpaid compensation. Witnesses stated that the argument between Eğrek and the company’s security personnel turned violent, resulting in Eğrek’s death at the scene. Istanbul Police announced an investigation into the incident.
Eğrek had been engaged in a legal battle since 2015 to obtain severance pay and social benefits owed to him for his work on Çalık Holding’s overseas projects. Court records indicate that the amount he sought amounted to just 0.2% of the 995 million Turkish lira in government subsidies the company received over the past nine years. The company, active in energy, mining, and construction sectors, has grown into one of Turkey’s largest economic conglomerates through tax exemptions and state support.
Çalık Holding previously came under scrutiny in the Pandora Papers for its offshore accounts and faced criticism for its banking activities in Albania and Kosovo. In 2007, the company acquired the Sabah-ATV media group with a $750 million loan from state banks, drawing attention to its political ties during the tenure of Berat Albayrak—son-in-law of former Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—as its general manager.
The Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DİSK) reiterated its demand for an urgent investigation in a written statement, declaring, “Erol Eğrek’s killers are not just the security guards; it is the political authority that has turned Turkey into a hell for workers.” The confederation pledged legal support for Eğrek’s family.
Members of left-wing parties, including the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), the Left Party (SOL Parti), and the Labour Party (EMEP), gathered in front of Çalık Holding’s building in Şişli, chanting slogans such as “Murderer Çalık will be held accountable!” Police confirmed no arrests had been made regarding the company’s employees involved in the incident.
