Overview

• On July 5, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office arrested the mayors of Adana, Antalya and Adiyaman on extortion allegations alongside eight other individuals.
• The detentions mark the latest phase of a broader investigation that began with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s March incarceration on corruption charges.
• CHP officials accuse the government of weaponizing judicial powers to sideline political rivals after the party’s historic gains in the 2024 local elections.
• The Justice Ministry and the ruling AKP maintain that prosecutors and the courts operate independently and dismiss claims of politically motivated prosecutions.
• International observers and domestic critics warn that the expanding probe into opposition figures threatens Turkey’s democratic norms and may affect the timing of upcoming elections.