Turkish Authorities Detain 13 in Corruption Probe Targeting Opposition Municipalities

Turkish authorities detained 13 individuals, including former and current officials of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality and private event company executives, as part of a corruption investigation into the municipality’s spending on concerts held between 2021 and 2024. According to statements from the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office, the probe alleges that 154.4 million Turkish lira (approximately $3.7 million) in public funds were lost due to abuse of office and bid rigging in the organization of 32 cultural events. The investigation is based on reports from the Interior Ministry, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board, and the Court of Accounts, which cited inflated costs and procedural violations in awarding contracts for the concerts, with the largest expenses attributed to stage construction and sound systems.

The detainees include seven former officials from the municipality’s cultural events directorate, two current officials, and four owners of private event companies. The municipality, led by Mayor Mansur Yavaş of the opposition CHP, criticized the detentions, arguing that officials could have been summoned for testimony without being taken into custody. In a public statement, the municipality emphasized that its accounts are regularly reviewed by the Court of Accounts and that no irregularities had been found in previous audits. Mayor Yavaş, who was re-elected in March with over 60 percent of the vote, stated that most of those detained were employees from the previous administration and that internal reviews had not detected any wrongdoing.

This operation is the latest in a series of corruption probes targeting opposition-led municipalities across Turkey. Since the 2024 local elections, which saw the CHP secure major victories in cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, more than 15 CHP mayors have been suspended or detained. The CHP has denounced the investigations as politically motivated, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government of using the judiciary to undermine the opposition’s electoral gains. The government, however, maintains that the judiciary is independent and that the investigations are focused solely on uncovering corruption.

The timing of the Ankara detentions has drawn particular scrutiny after former Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), posted on social media about an impending corruption scandal in the capital just hours before the operation. CHP lawmakers have alleged that details of the investigation were leaked in advance, turning the probe into political propaganda and raising concerns about judicial impartiality. Gökçek, who governed Ankara for 23 years, has himself faced longstanding opposition accusations of corruption, though these claims were never formally investigated.

The ongoing legal actions have heightened political tensions in Turkey, with the CHP warning that the probes are part of a broader campaign to weaken opposition control in major municipalities. Despite the suspensions and detentions, the CHP has retained control over key city governments due to its majority in municipal councils. The party is also facing a separate court case over alleged irregularities in its 2023 congress, which could potentially nullify the leadership change that followed a 14-year tenure by the previous party leader.

International observers and rights groups have expressed concern over the pattern of judicial actions against opposition figures in Turkey, noting the potential impact on democratic governance and the rule of law. The government continues to reject accusations of political interference, insisting that all investigations are conducted in accordance with legal procedures.