Tensions Rise in CHP After Arrest of Affiliated Mayors
Following a large-scale judicial operation yesterday morning targeting several metropolitan municipalities controlled by the Republican People’s Party (CHP), CHP leader Özgür Özel called an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Executive Board (MYK). The meeting began at 10:30 AM local time.
Details of the Arrests:
According to media reports, judicial authorities detained 10 people, including three CHP-affiliated mayors, as part of an investigation into an organized crime network linked to İzzet Ahmet Aktaş:
Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar
Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere
Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin
In a separate corruption probe, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek, his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, and his former daughter-in-law Zeynep Karaimamoğlu were also detained.
CHP’s Reaction:
The CHP described the operation as “politically motivated” and convened the emergency MYK meeting to determine its official stance on the arrests.
Background of the Case:
İzzet Ahmet Aktaş, the central figure in the case, had previously been arrested in a bribery investigation but was released under a “repentance law.” The judicial probe has now expanded to CHP-supported mayors.
These developments come amid rising tensions between the Turkish government and the opposition.
