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The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is under mounting scrutiny as a wave of corruption, bribery and terrorism-related investigations sweep across its municipalities.
Since late 2024, more than 500 people, including some 15 sitting mayors, have been detained in police operations. Over 200 have been formally arrested while dozens benefited from the legal provision of “effective remorse” in exchange for cooperation with prosecutors.
Authorities say more than 10 major investigations are underway into municipalities controlled by the main opposition CHP, covering allegations from large-scale tender rigging and bribery to financing terrorist organizations.
The most extensive probe targets the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), led by ousted mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, over claims of systematic corruption, fictitious tenders and abuse of public resources. Prosecutors allege a network, headed by senior municipal officials, rigged numerous public contracts. Imamoğlu and his aides deny all charges.
Linked to these allegations is the case of businessperson Aziz Ihsan Aktaş, accused of heading a criminal network that allegedly bribed mayors and senior officials to secure lucrative tenders. Aktaş, initially arrested, was later released after cooperating with authorities under effective remorse provisions.
Terrorism-linked probes
Two separate investigations in Istanbul focus on alleged links between CHP district municipalities and the PKK terrorist organization. Police operations earlier this year targeted nine CHP-run districts, leading to the arrests of deputy mayors and council members. Prosecutors claim certain local initiatives were used to bolster PKK influence in major cities.
In another high-profile case, dismissed Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer faces trial on charges of PKK membership, while former Sarıyer Mayor Şükrü Genç is accused of financing the DHKP-C terrorist group through municipal channels.
Corruption in and beyond Istanbul
The corruption allegations extend far beyond Türkiye’s largest city, though several of the most prominent cases are centered in Istanbul.
In Istanbul’s European districts, Beşiktaş and Büyükçekmece, officials are accused of bribery, irregular contracting and abuse of office. In the Anatolian districts Beykoz and Şile, the mayors were arrested on charges of tender rigging, extortion and involvement in organized crime, while Kartal’s mayor and several municipal officials allegedly rented out public properties in violation of the law.
In western Izmir province, the CHP municipality faces two separate probes, one targeting irregularities in construction projects and another focusing on corruption in a municipal subsidiary, which have already led to the arrest of former Mayor Tunç Soyer.
In the southern province of Antalya and its major district, Manavgat, Mayors Muhittin Böcek and Niyazi Nefi Kara are accused of accepting bribes, with the latter case drawing attention after covert footage surfaced of an alleged payment concealed in a baklava box.
Meanwhile, other provinces, including Adana, Ceyhan, Seyhan and several other districts in Istanbul, have also seen their mayors detained as part of similar corruption investigations.
High-profile arrests
The CHP has seen some of its most prominent figures arrested as part of the investigations.
Those taken into custody include Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek and Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, along with 12 other sitting mayors from across Türkiye.
Former Izmir Mayor Tunç Soyer and former Sarıyer Mayor Şükrü Genç were also arrested, as were senior executives and department heads at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, including Imamoğlu’s close aide Murat Ongun.
Effective remorse
Authorities say dozens of suspects – including businesspeople, municipal managers and tender officials – have been released after providing testimony under “effective remorse” provisions. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), 42 suspects in the IMM corruption case alone have used this route, offering prosecutors insider accounts of alleged criminal schemes.
Political fallout
While CHP leadership insists the allegations are politically motivated, government officials stress the investigations are rooted in judicial findings and supported by witness testimony. Prosecutors emphasize that operations will continue as new evidence emerges.
With court cases set to proceed into the autumn, including a major hearing against Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler in September, the probes show no sign of slowing.
For the CHP, the sheer scale of the investigations has cast a long shadow over the party’s municipal governance, raising questions about internal oversight and accountability.
