Turkcell Comments on Court's Order in Corruption Lawsuit Against MTN

ISTANBUL, Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Turkcell (NYSE: TKC, ISE: TCELL), the leading communications and technology company in Turkey, commented today on the U.S. District Court Order staying a decision on MTN's Motion to Dismiss.  The Court's order, which Turkcell had expected, continues the case for several months until resolution by the Supreme Court of a different case addressing the Alien Tort Statute.  The Court's order allows the Turkcell case to continue.  Turkcell's original legal complaint alleges MTN engaged in acts of corruption and bribery to steal Turkcell's award of the Iranian GSM telecommunications license in 2004 and 2005.

As a pending but unrelated Supreme Court decision expected in the near future in a different case may impact the court's review of Turkcell's claims, the Court decided to hold the Turkcell-MTN lawsuit for several months.  Turkcell further notes that under current law, it believes jurisdiction is clear in the United States courts and for that reason welcomes today's Order as an efficient way for its claims to continue before the Washington, D.C. court.  Turkcell looks forward to addressing the issues, if any, raised by the Supreme Court's decision.

BACKROUND ON THE CASE 
Citing MTN's violations of international norms of law, Turkcell asserts that MTN's promises of military arms and International Atomic Energy Agency votes plus its payment of multiple bribes are more than adequate to support the American court's jurisdiction over the case under the Alien Tort Statute.  Turkcell also provided the court with a detailed description of MTN's extensive business dealings in the United States supporting personal jurisdiction. Turkcell's claim is supported by sworn testimony from MTN's own director of Iran operations detailing MTN's extraordinary tortious corruption and bribery in violation of the law of nations. 

Press inquiries should be directed to Read McCaffrey of Patton Boggs LLP, Turkcell's United States legal counsel handling the case, at + (1) 202-457-5243.

ABOUT TURKCELL
Turkcell is the leading communications and technology company in Turkey, with 34.7 million subscribers and a market share of approximately 53% based on June 30, 2012 results. Turkcell is a leading regional player, with market leadership in five of the nine countries in which it operates with its approximately 65.8 million subscribers as of June 30, 2012. It has become one of the first among the global operators to have implemented HSPA+. It has achieved up to 43.2 Mbps speed using the Dual Carrier technology, and is continuously working to provide the latest technology to its customers, e.g. 84 Mbps in the near future. Turkcell reported a TRY2.6 billion (US$1.4 billion) net revenue with total assets of TRY17.4 billion (US$9.6 billion) as of June 30, 2012. It has been listed on the NYSE and the ISE since July 2000, and is the only NYSE-listed company in Turkey. Read more at www.turkcell.com.tr.

TURKCELL ILETISIM HIZMETLERI A.S.

SOURCE Patton Boggs LLP