Izmir Mayors Yetişkin and Yiğit Detained in Corruption Probe

Turkish prosecutors detained 24 individuals in Izmir, including Seferihisar Mayor İsmail Yetişkin and Balçova Mayor Onur Yiğit, as part of a widescale investigation into alleged bribery, fraud and irregularities in construction permits and zoning ahead of the March 2024 local elections. MASAK reports and financial analyses indicate large cash transfers and candidate‑funding schemes, described by opposition leaders as a “candidate‑bourse” operation.

CHP figures condemned the arrests. İzmir CHP deputy Deniz Yücel labelled the moves as politically motivated, likening them to the FETÖ era, while CHP provincial chair Utku Gümrükçü noted that the two operations stemmed from separate investigative lines. The detained group also included municipal employees and private contractors accused of unlawful cash payments and bank transfers.

The probe has drawn national attention because the mayors belong to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the case could influence the upcoming local elections.