Three mayors arrested in Turkey

Three mayors from major cities in Turkey have been arrested. According to reports, authorities detained them early on Saturday (July 5) during separate operations. This is being seen as the latest move in a series of crackdowns on the opposition, following the sentencing of Istanbul’s mayor earlier this year.

Citing Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu, the Associated Press (AP) and The Times of Israel reported that the mayors of Adiyaman and Adana—Abdurrahman Tutdere and Zeydan Karalar—were detained in separate raids. Both are senior leaders of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Meanwhile, the mayor of Antalya, Muhittin Böcek, was also arrested along with two others as part of a bribery investigation. All three mayors face charges including bribery, ties to criminal networks, and tender manipulation.

Tutdere posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was being taken to Istanbul. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office claimed that at least 10 people have been arrested in connection with the case.
These arrests have sparked debate over whether they are politically motivated actions targeting the opposition. Previously, Istanbul mayor and President Erdoğan’s political rival Ekrem İmamoğlu was jailed on corruption charges.

Analysts believe that since the 2024 elections, Erdoğan’s administration has been strategically weakening CHP-controlled municipalities. However, the government insists that the judiciary and prosecutors are acting independently and that protests against the arrests are not lawful.