Last summer, the Turkish Competition Authority launched a preliminary investigation into casting agencies and talent managers. Two weeks ago, an official investigation was opened against 21 organizations found to be violating competition laws (Law No. 4054). At the center of this investigation is ID Communication Agency, which represents many famous actors in Türkiye, along with its founder and manager, Ayşe Barım.
As reactions on social media grew rapidly, Ayşe Barım was accused of monopolizing the industry, using her influence on digital platforms, and prioritizing actors from her agency.
The news divided the industry. While ID Communication’s actors supported their manager, Barım, some others claimed the monopoly was real. Following these events, Barım was first taken into custody, and later, actress Serenay Sarıkaya also gave her statement.
However, last Friday, Barım was detained not for monopoly allegations but on charges of being one of the organizers of the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which began in Taksim, Istanbul, and quickly spread across Türkiye. On the night of January 27, 2025, she was officially arrested.
According to a statement by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Barım is accused of being one of the organizers of the 2013 Gezi Park protests. She is alleged to have directed individuals from ID Communication Agency to participate in the protests between May 29 and June 2, 2013.
Actors Halit Ergenç, Bergüzar Korel, Rıza Kocaoğlu, Mehmet Günsür, Dolunay Soysert, Nehir Erdoğan, Ceyda Düvenci, and Nejat İşler provided witness statements to prosecutors as part of the investigation.
Additionally, actors Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu are being investigated for “false testimony.” In their statements, they claimed they joined the Gezi Park protests on their own, not under Ayşe Barım’s influence. However, prosecutors found these claims unconvincing, citing the actors’ “frequent contact with Barım during the time of the protests.” The prosecution accused the actors of providing evasive answers to protect Barım.
In her defense, Barım denied directing actors to participate in the protests and stated:
“Actors are artists. They have their own opinions, free wills, and decisions. I have never influenced their opinions or been involved in any kind of organizational activity. I am the victim of a large-scale, baseless organized attack on social media.”
Some of the Actors Represented by ID Communication Agency:
Serenay Sarıkaya
Hande Erçel
Halit Ergenç
Bergüzar Korel
Ezgi Mola
Mehmet Günsür
Mert Yazıcıoğlu
Pınar Deniz
Source: Emrullah Erdinç
