Former Izmir Mayor Tunç Soyer Detained Without Indictment, Lawyers Demand Release

Former Izmir mayor Tunç Soyer has been held in pre‑trial detention for more than a year despite the absence of any formal indictment. His lawyers say he was first released from an earlier case on 5 January 2026, but was re‑arrested on 17 July 2025 only a few days before that release, and the second detention has now lasted over seven months without an indictment being prepared.

The legal team stresses that no concrete charge has been presented, that three different prosecutors have overseen the investigation, and that expert and MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) reports found no evidence of wrongdoing. They allege that the courts continue the detention without providing reasons, arguing that "no crime can be created where none exists" and calling for Soyer’s immediate release.