Turkish MPs Özgür Özel, Veli Ağbaba face immunity removal over bribery
Ankara’s Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı, Memur ve Parlamenter Suçları Soruşturma Bürosu, 28th‑term MP Özgür Özel and Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba for alleged "zincirleme şekilde rüşvet almak" (chain‑bribery) investigations. The prosecutor concluded that Özel used his parliamentary influence to obtain monetary benefits from Antalya mayor‑candidate Muhittin Böcek and his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, and from Uşak mayor Özkan Yalım, in connection with the 31 March 2024 local elections. Ağbaba is accused of acting on Özel’s instructions to secure similar benefits, intervening in a solid‑waste collection tender in Çankaya, and soliciting support from municipalities around İzmir for the same elections. Both were charged under Turkish Penal Code articles 252/1, 252/2, 43/1 and 53/1‑2‑3. Fezleke requests to lift their parliamentary immunity under Article 83 of the Constitution were prepared and sent to the Justice Ministry for further action.
Entities: Muhittin Böcek · Mustafa Gökhan Böcek · Veli Ağbaba · Özgür Özel · Özkan Yalım
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The investigation concluded that both Özel and Ağbaba committed chain bribery under Turkish Penal Code articles 252/2, 252/1, 43/1 and 53/1‑2‑3. (Prosecutor's investigation)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ankara Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı prepared a fezleke to lift Özgür Özel's parliamentary immunity. (Turkish prosecutors)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Veli Ağbaba allegedly obtained monetary benefits from İzmir and surrounding municipalities for the 31 March 2024 local elections. (Prosecutor's investigation)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Veli Ağbaba allegedly intervened in the Çankaya solid‑waste collection tender to favor a chosen company and received monetary benefit. (Prosecutor's investigation)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ankara Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı prepared a fezleke to lift Veli Ağbaba's parliamentary immunity. (Turkish prosecutors)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Veli Ağbaba allegedly obtained monetary benefits from Mustafa Gökhan Böcek during the Antalya mayoral candidacy process. (Prosecutor's investigation)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Özgür Özel allegedly obtained monetary benefits from Uşak mayor Özkan Yalım for use in a CHP congress. (Prosecutor's investigation)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Özgür Özel allegedly obtained monetary benefits from Antalya mayoral candidate Muhittin Böcek and his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek. (Prosecutor's investigation)