Turkish Cypriot prime minister denies sex scandal as ‘conspiracy’ against him

The prime minister of Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus has been embroiled in a shocking sex scandal which he has denied as a “conspiracy” launched against him, according to local media. 

Ersan Saner, aged 55 and married with two children, was allegedly caught masturbating while a young woman stripped naked on a FaceTime call. 

The politician rejected charges of infidelity and slammed the video, posted on social media Tuesday evening, as an attempt to discredit him less than two weeks before his National Unity Party selects a new leader. 

“I am the target of a very bad defamation with this video, which is a product of processing with the maximum use of technology,” said Saner according to GreekReporter. 

“It is clear that someone wants to prevent me from serving my beloved country, my party. But they do this not through political means, but through open attacks. There is a conspiracy designed entirely for this purpose,” the politician added. 

Saner claims rumours have been circulating for months about an attack against him from phone numbers registered in the Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus. 

It has also been reported by local media that the video of Saner was passed to a Turkish mafia boss and YouTube hit Sedat Peker by Halil Falyali, a crime boss in northern Cyprus who was arrested this week. Peker, who is in self-exile in the UAE, has made several allegations linking Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan to organised crime. 

Saner, an alley to Erdogan, is one of four candidates entering the race for leader, but is now considered likely to withdraw, according to The Times.

Cyprus's internationally recognised government is run by Greek Cypriots, while the breakaway administration in the north of the Mediterranean island is only recognised by Turkey.

Saner announced just last week that the coalition government in the breakaway state of northern Cyprus would resign after it lost its majority in parliament. 

He called for an early election, which could be held in December.