Overview

• Early-morning raids by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on July 5 led to the detention of Adiyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek on allegations of organized crime and extortion.
• The same operation detained eight other individuals in a probe into alleged bribery, bid-rigging and corruption involving CHP figures.
• These detentions mark the latest phase in a crackdown that began with the March jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and has ensnared municipal leaders in Izmir, Manavgat and other cities.
• The Turkish government asserts the judiciary is acting independently; CHP officials say the probes are politically motivated to undermine the main opposition before potential early elections.
• International observers have warned that using legal proceedings against opposition figures could further erode democratic norms in Turkey’s challenging economic climate.