HRD Antwerp, one of the world’s largest diamond certication brands, has launched legal action against its former partners and companies in Turkey for damaging its business reputation. HRD Antwerp’s legal representative in Turkey, Attorney Tuncay Çaltekin, made statements to enlighten the public about the process.

Mehmet Can Özdemir established separate companies with his family members and made shady deals. Attorney Tuncay Çaltekin said that HRD Antwerp, being accepted in Turkey, one of the ve largest jewellery markets in the world, established a business partnership under the name “HRD Istanbul” with Enstitü Istanbul Bilim Akademisi Yönetim Danışmanlığı A.Ş. in 2014 in order to oer its products and services in Turkey.

Stating that this partnership was terminated after determining that the brand power and reputation of HRD Antwerp was unfairly used their partner named Mehmet Can Özdemir, Tuncay Çaltekin added: “One of the main reasons for the termination was that the partners holding the management of the company did not transfer the trademark “HRD”, which was unfairly registered in the name of HRD Istanbul, to the clients despite their previous commitments.”

“The same partners rendered the client company ineective and unauthorised with legal manoeuvres such as placing liens on the HRD trademark through other companies owned by their family members and transferring HRD’s assets to the aforementioned companies. In other words, they committed irregularities contrary to the agreement.”

Therefore, we led a lawsuit for “trademark invalidation” to prevent HRD Istanbul from using the “HRD” trademark and logo. Mehmet Can Özdemir used all the knowledge, know-how and opportunities of HRD Antwerp trademark, and made shady deal with separate companies consisting of his own family members operating in the same eld of activity.

As a result of our investigations and examinations, we have led a lawsuit for “Board Member Liability” against Özdemir, claiming that he has caused material damage to HRD Istanbul as a result of unlawful transactions with related companies belonging to himself and his family members.”

The last three years nancial statements of the company in Turkey will be analysed “After the dissolution of the partnership, the rst stage of the proceedings in the lawsuit led by the concerned company in the Belgian courts was won in favour of HRD Antwerp, baseless news started to be spread upon the understanding that these lawsuits would be concluded in favour of HRD Antwerp and that the partnership would no longer continue denitively” said Çaltekin.

“The essence of the case is that the former partners of HRD Antwerp; became partners with a world leading company in its eld; took over the brand and machinery of that company through their father’s company; took control of the company through legal manoeuvres and tried to compete with it; tried to tarnish the brand of the city which has been known for its diamonds since the fteenth century. Unfortunately, they have damaged the reputation of our country.” stated the Attorney.

Tuncay Çaltekin added: “Statements in the press constitute unfair competition with the aim of damaging the company’s reputation. We have therefore led criminal complaints against the persons concerned for unfair competition and defamation. We have also led lawsuits against the persons concerned in Turkey and in a recently concluded case it was decided to examine all nancial transactions and operations, including the company’s nancial statements for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Following the results, the necessary measures will be taken against those found to be at fault under the law.