Turkish municipalities face investigations and political shifts

Turkish politics municipal investigations CHP AK Party Yeni Parti

Political tensions in Turkey have escalated following a series of investigations and personnel changes in several municipalities. In Ataşehir, the Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has detained 13 individuals, including Deputy Mayor Murat Güneş. Members of the Yeni Parti have characterized these actions as a political attempt to seize municipalities won by the opposition. This follows the previous detention of Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel.

In Eyüpsultan, CHP Spokesperson Müslim Sarı reported that Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen is in custody, noting that his family remains supportive. The CHP has also raised concerns regarding political shifts within municipal councils, specifically noting that six CHP members in Ataşehir resigned to join the AK Party, which has equalized the council's political distribution.

Other regional developments include disciplinary disputes in Muğla, where CHP officials have called for the expulsion of Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras due to alleged cooperation with Yeni Parti. Additionally, in Üsküdar, 56 employees were dismissed from the municipality within two weeks, a move critics claim is politically motivated. Separately, Yeni Parti has challenged new media access restriction laws through an application to the Constitutional Court.

Entities

AK Parti · AK Party · Ataşehir Municipality · CHP · Eyüpsultan Municipality · Mithat Bülent Özmen · Müslim Sarı · Yeni Parti

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The family of Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen, who is in custody, maintains high morale.
[● 3 SOURCES] The Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting an investigation involving Ataşehir Deputy Mayor Murat Güneş and 12 others. www.izgazete.net · artigercek.com · halktv.com.tr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Yeni Parti filed an application with the Constitutional Court on September 21 to annul recent access restriction regulations. www.yenicaggazetesi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The investigation into Ataşehir Municipality is a political intervention. www.izgazete.net · artigercek.com · halktv.com.tr
[DISPUTED] Six CHP municipal council members resigned to join the AK Party, equalizing the council distribution in Ataşehir. www.guvengazetesi.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] 56 employees were dismissed from Üsküdar Municipality within a two-week period, citing performance insufficiency. www.damgagazetesi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The investigation is an attempt to seize municipalities that the opposition won through elections. www.izgazete.net · artigercek.com · halktv.com.tr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras should be expelled from the CHP due to his cooperation with Yeni Parti. www.sabah.com.tr