Rocked Again: Wave of Arrests Targets Istanbul's Opposition Leaders
Five mayors from Istanbul Municipality were apprehended in connection with a corruption investigation.
In a fresh escalation, a Turkish court has ordered the detention of several opposition leaders, including five district mayors, amidst an expansion of a wide-reaching corruption investigation aimed at Istanbul's Municipality.
Opposition Under Scrutiny
The Municipality, governed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has been under the magnifying glass for several months following a series of graft allegations, including corrupt practices and illicit agreements.
Key Figures in the Spotlight
Istanbul's Mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent CHP figure, was among the first to be arrested back in March as part of the investigation. More recently, the probe has ensnared a growing number of high-ranking officials.
The Latest Wave of Arrests
The fifth wave of the ongoing investigation took place on May 31, resulting in the detention of Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan Akgül, Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hakan Bahçetepe, and Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara. Additionally, Mayors Kadir Aydar and Oya Tekin, from the southern province of Adana, were also arrested.
An Unwanted Brotherhood
All five arrested mayors hail from the CHP, adding to the eight CHP mayors now jailed in connection with the Istanbul Municipality investigation, which includes İmamoğlu, Rıza Akpolat, and Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler.
Suspects and Accusations
Besides the mayors, the detainees include deputy mayors, municipal advisors, and the husband of Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin. The allegations include corruption, bid rigging, and bribery.
CHP's Reaction
Büyükçekmece Mayor Akgül, a seven-term veteran of the post, vehemently denied the accusations through a public statement, describing the operation as a smear campaign orchestrated to undermine his office's legitimacy.
CHP leader Özgür Özel also rejects the arrests, labeling them as politically motivated operations intended to stifle the opposition. He has called on the public to attend a rally in Gaziosmanpaşa, one of the districts with arrested mayors, on June 4.
A Long and Winding Road
The timeline of this investigation has been marked by numerous detentions, raids, and investigations, with Turkish prosecutors issuing arrest warrants for more than 60 people since March[1][4].
References:
- CNN
- BBC
- Al Jazeera
- Reuters
- The Guardian
In the continuing political developments, the ongoing corruption investigation targeting Istanbul's opposition leaders has led to another wave of arrests on May 31, with five district mayors from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) being detained. This investigation, which has been casting a shadow over the CHP for several months, involves allegations of corruption, bid rigging, and bribery, extending to deputy mayors, municipal advisors, and family members of some of the suspects. The CHP leadership, including Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan Akgül and CHP leader Özgür Özel, have vehemently rejected the arrests, labeling them as politically motivated operations intended to stifle the opposition.
