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Turkey Detains Three Opposition Mayors in Expanding Judicial Crackdown

Prosecutors say the detentions target alleged organized extortion in a probe that has swept through dozens of municipalities since March.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a media conference at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey, on April 24, 2024. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

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.