Saudi Arabia accused of seizing former Turkish PM’s $2B Ottoman-era inheritance

Allegations have emerged that Saudi Arabia expropriated a $2 billion estate inherited by former Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit from his maternal great-grandfather, Hajji Emin Pasha, without compensation.

Hajji Emin Pasha, the Sheikh ul-Islam of Mecca during the Ottoman era, had established a large complex in the Masjid al-Nabawi area, including foundations, madrasas, and libraries.

In 1992, Ecevit initiated a legal battle for the estate, winning the case in 2005. He expressed a desire to donate the inheritance to the Turkish state for the benefit of pilgrims, but no action was taken by the Directorate of Religious Affairs.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reportedly expropriated the estate without making the required payment.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Kayseri MP Askin Genc recently raised the issue in the Turkish Parliament, questioning the fate of the 110-acre estate.

He noted the lack of progress in transferring the inheritance to the state and suggested the unpaid compensation might be linked to Türkiye’s refusal to grant construction permission for Sevda Hill, a property purchased by the Saudi King in Istanbul.