Formally charged ex-mayor of Izmir faces imprisonment for up to 45 years due to allegations of fraudulent activities in municipal housing projects.
In a significant development, a high-profile trial is underway in the Aliagă Prison Complex, with 11 defendants in custody. The trial, which involves corruption allegations against the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, has been prompted by an investigation launched by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on July 1, following reports of corruption within municipal contractor Izbeton.
Among the defendants are CHP Izmir Provincial Chair Senol Aslanoglu and Heval Savas Kaya, former general manager of Izbeton, a concrete manufacturing company. More than 200 individuals have been formally arrested, while dozens have benefited from 'effective remorse' provisions in exchange for cooperation with prosecutors.
The case reflects a wider wave of corruption, bribery, and terrorism-related investigations in CHP-controlled municipalities. Over 10 major investigations are underway, covering allegations ranging from large-scale tender rigging and bribery to the financing of terrorist organizations.
The public outrage over the allegations has been particularly strong among cooperative members who invested in municipal housing projects that never materialized. Protesters gathered outside the prison campus, displaying a banner that read: 'Truckloads of money went from cooperative members, homes vanished! Izmir Metropolitan Municipality guaranteed - what kind of guarantee is this?'
The trial includes 11 defendants in custody, and charges include 'qualified fraud', 'fraud causing loss to public institutions', and related criminal attempts. Prison sentences ranging from three to 45 years are sought for those found guilty.
The investigation was prompted by reports from the Court of Accounts, civil inspectors, and expert assessments pointing to misconduct in public tenders and project execution. The former mayor of Izmir province, Tunc Soyer, and 65 other officials are on trial for tender-rigging, fraud, and misuse of municipal cooperative housing projects.
The case originated from an investigation launched by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on July 1, following allegations of corruption within municipal contractor Izbeton. Since late 2024, more than 500 people, including around 15 sitting mayors, have been detained in police operations.
The trial is part of a broader scrutiny into Izmir Metropolitan Municipality operations, with earlier indictments linked to machinery rentals, road and asphalt projects, and other municipal contracts. Prosecutors allege that the defendants engaged in fraud through cooperative housing projects, targeting public institutions, political parties, and professional organizations.
CHP Chair Oğuzur Özel, lawmakers, and representatives of other political parties attended the trial. The trial includes more than 157 suspects, with additional suspects being municipal employees or involved in construction, electrical work, marble, and related businesses.
As the trial unfolds, the public and political landscape in Izmir continues to be shaped by these corruption allegations, with the outcome likely to have significant implications for the city's governance and public trust.
