In the 15 months following the local elections, operations were carried out against 17 CHP municipalities. A total of 16 people were arrested, 14 of them incumbent mayors, while 1 mayor was ordered under house arrest.
Among the arrested mayors are Ekrem İmamoğlu (IBB), Zeydan Karalar (Adana), Muhittin Böcek (Antalya) and Rıza Akpolat (Beşiktaş). Their share of the vote varies between 40 percent and 66 percent.
Beykoz and Gaziosmanpaşa were the municipalities that the CHP took from the AKP in the 2024 elections. Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality was reinstated with an AKP mayor. Trustees were appointed in Esenyurt, Şişli and Ovacık.
Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere was placed under house arrest. The operations are seen as an attempt to weaken the opposition’s power in municipalities.
July 9, 2025
Sputnik Turkey