Turkey: 40 opposition mayors arrested since 2024 elections

Since the March 2024 local elections, forty mayors from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) have been arrested, according to reports. These criminal investigations have resulted in the suspension of elected officials and the appointment of government trustees to manage several municipalities.

The arrests have spanned various major cities, including İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Antalya, Adana, and Mersin. Allegations against the officials range from corruption, bribery, and bid-rigging to links with terrorist organizations.

Recent legal actions include the October 6 pretrial detention of four CHP mayors, such as Mersin Metropolitan Mayor Vahap Seçer, Yenişehir Mayor Abdullah Özyiğit, and Mezitli Mayor Ahmet Serkan Tuncer, regarding municipal tender irregularities. Additionally, İstanbul’s Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen was jailed on charges of bribery and membership in a criminal organization. The wave of arrests began in October 2024 with the detention of Esenyurt district mayor Ahmet Özer on allegations of membership in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).