Three mayors from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) were detained on Saturday as part of ongoing corruption investigations, widening a legal sweep targeting several municipalities held by the CHP. The detentions come days after the formal arrest and imprisonment of former İzmir Mayor Tunç Soyer.
The current mayors of Adana, Antalya, and Adıyaman — all elected in the March 2024 local elections — were taken into custody in operations announced by party officials and confirmed by Turkish media. These actions follow the March arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and have raised concerns among opposition figures about the use of legal processes in the political sphere.
Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere were detained as part of an investigation by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities allege they were involved in a bribery scheme tied to businessman Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who was previously charged with running a criminal network to influence public tenders. Aktaş was released last month under the “effective remorse” provision after cooperating with prosecutors.
Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek was detained under a separate probe launched by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Reports indicate his son was also among those taken into custody as part of the same investigation.
İstanbul’s Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin was detained the same morning. Separately, 137 people were detained earlier this week in İzmir as part of a large-scale corruption investigation, with warrants issued for 157 suspects in total.
In a related case, former İzmir Mayor Tunç Soyer was formally arrested and sent to prison last week following a judicial decision. Soyer, who served as mayor until the 2024 elections, faces charges related to public tender irregularities during his term. Details of the charges have not been fully disclosed, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
Following Saturday’s detentions, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel convened an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Executive Board (MYK) in Ankara. In public remarks, party officials stated that they viewed the detentions as part of a broader pattern of pressure on elected opposition officials.
In a video statement recorded in Gebze, Mayor Karalar commented on his detention: “They came for me based on an investigation in İstanbul. I have never been involved in any illicit dealings. We will follow legal procedures.”
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş noted that any investigation based on testimony of bribery should include all alleged recipients, regardless of political affiliation. “Selective investigations harm public confidence in the judiciary,” he said.
CHP Deputy Chair Zeliha Aksaz Şahbaz also pointed out that the arrests coincided with the Radio and Television Supreme Council’s (RTÜK) decision to impose a 10-day broadcast suspension on two opposition-aligned media outlets, Halk TV and Sözcü TV. RTÜK accused the channels of inciting public hatred, a charge both outlets deny.
Reactions from other political parties have varied. The nationalist İYİ Party and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party both issued statements calling for judicial independence and respect for democratic processes. The DEM Party, which has recently engaged in dialogue concerning the Kurdish peace process, stated that “persecution of elected officials only deepens societal divisions.”
The developments follow the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in March 2025 on corruption-related charges. That case remains under judicial review and has prompted nationwide demonstrations organized under the CHP’s “Defending the National Will” campaign.
