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Turkey sentences six opposition mayors to prison terms
An Istanbul court has sentenced six former opposition mayors in Turkey to various prison terms following a corruption investigation. Rıza Akpolat, the former mayor of the Beşiktaş district, received the heaviest sentence of 23 years and three months for convictions including bribery, money laundering, and tender manipulation. While Akpolat was acquitted of charges related to belonging to an organized criminal group, he maintains his innocence, stating there is no concrete evidence.
Five other former mayors, all members of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), received sentences ranging from approximately five to ten years. One mayor from Adıyaman was acquitted, and another received a suspended eight-month sentence for abuse of power through negligence.
The legal proceedings are part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures. The investigation involved 200 defendants and centered on a businessman accused of bribing municipal officials. The businessman was sentenced to two years and eight months for tender manipulation but was acquitted of forming a criminal organization. This wave of arrests follows the March 2025 detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a leading figure in the CHP.
Entities
Ekrem İmamoğlu · Istanbul · Justice and Development Party · Republican People's Party · Rıza Akpolat
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Five former opposition mayors were sentenced to prison terms, while one was acquitted. www.zeit.de · www.cash.ch
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is currently in preventive detention facing corruption charges. www.stiripesurse.ro
- [● 3 SOURCES] Rıza Akpolat received a prison sentence of 23 years and three months. www.zeit.de · www.cash.ch · www.stiripesurse.ro
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Rıza Akpolat maintains his innocence, claiming there is no concrete evidence against him. www.stiripesurse.ro
- [● 2 SOURCES] The businessman was acquitted of the charge of forming a criminal organization. www.zeit.de · www.cash.ch
- [● 3 SOURCES] Rıza Akpolat was convicted of bribery, money laundering, and tender manipulation. www.zeit.de · www.cash.ch · www.stiripesurse.ro
- [● 2 SOURCES] A businessman involved in the case was sentenced to two years and eight months for tender manipulation. www.zeit.de · www.cash.ch
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The convicted mayors are members of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). www.stiripesurse.ro