Turkey cracks down on municipal corruption, arresting Seferihisar mayor and Şile officials
In İzmir’s Seferihisar district, mayor İsmail Yetişkin was detained and removed from office after a bribery, extortion and organized‑crime investigation led to the arrest of 12 suspects, including the mayor, his deputies and municipal officials. The Interior Ministry applied a temporary suspension under the Turkish Constitution and the Municipal Law.
In Istanbul’s Şile district, a separate anti‑corruption operation resulted in the detention of 17 suspects, with 13 placed in custody. Among those sentenced was Berkant Acil, the brother of singer Haluk Levent. The probe, coordinated by the Anatolian Public Prosecutor’s Office and the police’s financial crimes unit, targets alleged bribery, illegal procurement, and the formation of a criminal organization linked to the municipality’s leadership.
Both investigations highlight intensified scrutiny of local government practices in Turkey.