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The Republican People’s Party (CHP) is facing renewed criticism after several party figures linked to high-profile corruption and bribery allegations were elected once again to the Party Assembly (PM) during the 39th Ordinary Congress held over the weekend. CHP Chair Özgür Özel’s “key list,” approved almost unanimously by delegates, included names cited in recent indictments, prompting objections from intraparty critics who had urged a “clean break” from ongoing judicial controversies.
According to Murathan Yıldırım from the Sabah newspaper, the three-day congress concluded on Sunday with elections for the Party Assembly and the High Disciplinary Board (YDK). Despite calls from dissident factions to exclude individuals facing corruption-related accusations, Özel’s list retained Deputy Chairs Burhanettin Bulut and Özgür Karabat. Both men were named in an indictment prepared by prosecutors in the so-called Aziz Ihsan Aktaş case, which alleges that Bulut received $1 million and Karabat TL 5 million (more than $117,000) in bribes. Karabat is also described as a close ally of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who remains in pretrial detention in a separate municipal investigation.
Another controversial figure, PM member Baki Aydöner also detained in connection with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) probe, secured reelection with Özel’s backing. Prosecutors claim Aydöner accepted two plots of land valued at TL 50 million from a businessperson seeking payment from the municipality. The same indictment alleges he also received $100,000 from Aktaş. Aydöner has denied wrongdoing through his lawyers.
Meanwhile, CHP lawmaker Turan Taşkın Özer, frequently mentioned in the IBB indictment and described as “a suspect and alleged member of an organized structure,” won a seat on the YDK. Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek recently announced that files seeking the lifting of parliamentary immunity for Karabat and Özer were forwarded to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Since taking office after the contentious 38th Ordinary Congress, Özel and his senior team have carried out what has been described as a sweeping purge of loyalists of his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. More than 400 party members have been referred to the disciplinary board in the first 10 months of Özel’s leadership. CHP members who raised or supported the allegations tied to the vote-buying case were swiftly expelled.
