Protesters from the CHP call for the freedom of Adana's mayors
CHP Leads Historic March for Imprisoned Mayors
The Republican People's Party (CHP) has initiated a historic march from Adana to Istanbul, a journey of approximately 1,300 kilometers, on August 9. The march is led by a 10-person team and is organized by the CHP's youth branch in Adana.
The march's destination is Marmara Prison in Istanbul, where Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, and Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar are being held. These mayors were arrested as part of a broader corruption investigation linked to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoglu and the Istanbul Municipality.
The investigation, which targeted politicians mainly from the opposition CHP, involved allegations of corruption related to municipal tenders and administration. The operation began around May 2025 after testimonies and confessions by businesspeople and bureaucrats connected to CHP-run municipalities.
The probe uncovered corruption in tenders and contracts, including those linked to İSFALT and İETT, which are Istanbul public entities. This investigation has led to waves of detentions and arrests of multiple CHP mayors and municipal officials across several cities. The arrests in Adana in particular, including Seyhan and Ceyhan district mayors, are part of this campaign, which is perceived by many opposition supporters as politically motivated due to the prominence of Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu in the case.
Cem Aydın, head of the CHP youth branch, described the march as "historic" for the imprisoned mayors, Karalar, Tekin, and Aydar, and said it would carry their voice beyond Adana. Adana's acting mayor, Güngör Gec̈er, stated that the march is not only against the imprisonment of CHP mayors, but also against injustices and unlawfulness in Turkey.
The march is expected to take about 45 days, with CHP branches in each province greeting the marchers along the route. The march is a demand for the release of the three imprisoned mayors in the southern city.
[1] Turkish Minute [2] Al-Monitor [3] The Guardian
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