Malatya rebuild, Ahbap probe, founder detained

In early July 2026 Malatya’s Battalgazi district handed over 4,359 new homes, 115 businesses and a mosque as part of post‑earthquake reconstruction. Residents say many Ahbap‑financed units remain unfinished and suffer gas, roof and moisture defects; only 264 permanent homes have been completed. The mayor highlighted new roads, a viaduct and a second viaduct as signs of recovery. On 11 July the metropolitan mayor said the city was in a “very good position” to heal the quake’s damage, noting the removal of temporary containers, a new double‑lane road to İkizce and preparation of a second viaduct. Victims complained that Ahbap’s permanent‑housing programme in Battalgazi and Arapgir was delayed and called for a public accounting of the alleged $158 million in donations. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor opened a multi‑year investigation into Ahbap Derneği, charging founder Haluk Levent with violations of the Associations Law, money‑laundering and organized‑crime membership. Prosecutors allege about 120 million TL was transferred to the personal account of assistant Yeliz Kaya, that Levent placed legal bets totalling roughly 990 million TL between 2020‑2026 and lost about 390 million TL, and that a real‑estate scheme involving 22 properties worth US $60 million was used for a promised girls’ dormitory that was never built. Police raids seized cash, gold, checks, documents and digital records, leading to the arrest of 26 suspects, including Ahbap staff, lawyer Ece Güner, a former adviser to mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and several contractors. On 13 July Levent was taken into custody in Bursa. He denied the accusations, posted on X that his personal‑debt transactions were wrongly linked to Ahbap, said he had repeatedly asked Interior Minister Bülent Turan for an audit, and warned “wait for the real bomb” as he prepares further explanations. The detention list rose to 22, now including his lawyer Ece Güner.