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30 detained in Antalya and Istanbul as Turkey’s crackdown on main opposition-run cities deepens
12.08.2024
By SCF
Source:https://stockholmcf.org/30-detained-in-antalya-and-istanbul-as-turkeys-crackdown-on-main-opposition-run-cities-deepens/
Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained 30 people in raids on the opposition-led municipalities of Antalya and Istanbul, part of a series of corruption investigations targeting the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkish media reported.
In Antalya, prosecutors said 17 people were detained over allegations that four contractors paid a total of 195 million lira (about $6 million) in bribes to Mayor Muhittin Böcek and his son to ensure payment for municipal projects.
Investigators claim some of the money was deposited through a currency exchange office, while the rest was delivered in cash.
Böcek was detained on July 5 along with his former daughter-in-law and jailed two days later. His son is out of the country. The interior ministry suspended Böcek, who denies the charges, from office on July 7.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said arrest warrants were issued for 14 people — including municipal staff, company representatives and employees — in connection with charges of “leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “extortion,” “aggravated fraud,” “unlawful acquisition of personal data” and “rigging public tenders.”
Thirteen people were taken into custody by gendarmerie units. The investigation is linked to earlier arrests, including that of Taner Çetin, the head of Istanbul’s Press, Broadcasting and Public Relations Department. Prosecutors allege Çetin arranged tenders for companies close to him and received illegal payments, causing financial losses to the city.
The people detained Tuesday include Çetin’s wife and son.
The twin operations come amid a broader crackdown on the CHP and its affiliates. Since March, more than 500 people connected to the party or the İstanbul Municipality have been detained or arrested.
Among those arrested are 14 CHP mayors, including suspended İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a senior member of the CHP and his party’s presidential candidate for the next election. İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 as part of an investigation that accuses him of corruption and terrorism, widely viewed as politically motivated. He was arrested on corruption charges a few days later.
The detentions follow a series of legal actions against İmamoğlu, whose arrest sparked Turkey’s worst protests in a decade and is seen as targeting the biggest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2028 presidential election.
İmamoğlu has been sentenced to two prison terms, including one for allegedly insulting a public prosecutor. Both sentences are under appeal, but opposition leaders claim the charges are politically motivated.
International human rights groups and lawmakers in Europe have raised concerns over the rule of law in Turkey, warning that the mass detentions and legal pressures could further erode democratic norms. The Silivri prison complex, where many opposition figures are being held, has become a symbol of the country’s deepening political tensions.
12.08.2024
By SCF
Source:https://stockholmcf.org/30-
Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained 30 people in raids on the opposition-
In Antalya, prosecutors said 17 people were detained over allegations that four contractors paid a total of 195 million lira (about $6 million) in bribes to Mayor Muhittin Böcek and his son to ensure payment for municipal projects.
Investigators claim some of the money was deposited through a currency exchange office, while the rest was delivered in cash.
Böcek was detained on July 5 along with his former daughter-
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said arrest warrants were issued for 14 people — including municipal staff, company representatives and employees — in connection with charges of “leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “extortion,” “aggravated fraud,” “unlawful acquisition of personal data” and “rigging public tenders.”
Thirteen people were taken into custody by gendarmerie units. The investigation is linked to earlier arrests, including that of Taner Çetin, the head of Istanbul’s Press, Broadcasting and Public Relations Department. Prosecutors allege Çetin arranged tenders for companies close to him and received illegal payments, causing financial losses to the city.
The people detained Tuesday include Çetin’s wife and son.
The twin operations come amid a broader crackdown on the CHP and its affiliates. Since March, more than 500 people connected to the party or the İstanbul Municipality have been detained or arrested.
Among those arrested are 14 CHP mayors, including suspended İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a senior member of the CHP and his party’s presidential candidate for the next election. İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 as part of an investigation that accuses him of corruption and terrorism, widely viewed as politically motivated. He was arrested on corruption charges a few days later.
The detentions follow a series of legal actions against İmamoğlu, whose arrest sparked Turkey’s worst protests in a decade and is seen as targeting the biggest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2028 presidential election.
İmamoğlu has been sentenced to two prison terms, including one for allegedly insulting a public prosecutor. Both sentences are under appeal, but opposition leaders claim the charges are politically motivated.
International human rights groups and lawmakers in Europe have raised concerns over the rule of law in Turkey, warning that the mass detentions and legal pressures could further erode democratic norms. The Silivri prison complex, where many opposition figures are being held, has become a symbol of the country’s deepening political tensions.