İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet detained in anti‑corruption raid
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office coordinated simultaneous anti‑corruption raids in five provinces (Antalya, Kırıkkale, Kocaeli – İzmit, Istanbul and Ankara). Police detained 28 of the 31 people placed under arrest, including İzmit mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet and her husband Murat Hürriyet. The suspects face charges of “organising a criminal group”, bribery and bid‑rigging in municipal procurement. Prosecutors say contracts were awarded to firms linked by family ties to officials and that commissions were collected from companies working with the municipality. The mayor was filmed saying, “Gönlüm rahat, ekşi yemedim ki karnım ağrısın,” indicating she felt calm despite the operation. Investigations also implicated senior municipal staff, the CHP district chief and several company executives. The detained individuals have been transferred to Istanbul for formal questioning, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
The operation marks the latest in a series of high‑profile probes targeting opposition‑run local governments, raising questions about nepotism and corruption within the CHP‑led İzmit municipality.