 — Ali Ercan Akpolat of İstanbul’s Adalar district and Mustafa Turgut of Silifke in the southern province of Mersin — have been arrested in separate investigations targeting opposition-run municipalities, the Anka news agency reported on Tuesday.){kind=link}
Two district mayors from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) — Ali Ercan Akpolat of İstanbul’s Adalar district and Mustafa Turgut of Silifke in the southern province of Mersin — have been arrested in separate investigations targeting opposition-run municipalities, the Anka news agency reported on Tuesday.
Akpolat was among 35 people arrested in an investigation into the Adalar Municipality after 39 suspects detained in dawn raids on June 19 were referred to court in İstanbul on Monday.
Prosecutors requested the arrest of Akpolat and 34 others after questioning was completed Monday evening, while seeking judicial supervision for four suspects.
Three separate criminal judges of peace ruled at around 5 a.m. Tuesday to arrest all 35 suspects.
Those arrested in the Adalar investigation include deputy mayors Hüseyin Yılmaz and Fırat Durak, municipal department heads, civil servants, technical staff and city council members.
Prosecutors accuse municipal officials of bribery, extortion, forgery of official documents, abuse of office, forming and leading a criminal organization and violating Turkey’s law on the protection of cultural and natural assets.
The investigation concerns allegations that officials allowed illegal construction and improper licensing in the Adalar district, a group of islands in the Sea of Marmara that includes protected natural and archaeological sites.
In a message sent on the day he was detained, Akpolat said he had done nothing to make those who voted for him feel ashamed. “I am proud to be a member of the CHP,” he said, urging municipal staff not to lose hope.
In the Silifke investigation, eight of 20 suspects detained in a June 19 operation were arrested, including Mayor Turgut.
The investigation, conducted by the Silifke Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, involves accusations including bribery, bid rigging and extortion. One of the suspects was released after questioning by police, while 19 others were referred to court.
Following questioning by prosecutors, Turgut, two deputy mayors and a municipal private secretary were among eight suspects who were arrested.
Eleven suspects were released under judicial supervision.
The CHP says the investigations are part of a campaign to reverse the results of the March 2024 local elections, when it defeated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) across Turkey and won control of the country’s largest cities.
A running tally published by T24 and updated Monday said 34 CHP-run municipalities, including six metropolitan municipalities, have faced operations, investigations, detentions, arrests or administrative sanctions since the 2024 local elections.
The same tally said 28 mayors have been jailed at some point and that 21 CHP mayors were still in jail after the latest arrests.
The number of CHP mayors in pretrial detention has risen to 23 with the latest arrests. They include İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan’s most powerful political rival.
The government denies political interference and claims the judiciary acts independently.