As part of the bribery investigation targeting Beşiktaş Municipality, a second arrest warrant was issued on January 15 for Rıza Akpolat, who had previously been arrested and removed from office in the “Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization” case. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office alleged that Akpolat demanded bribes from businesspeople in exchange for zoning changes and permit requests in 2023 and 2024, that the money was requested under the guise of “donations to soup kitchens,” and that it was transferred to his personal account without entering the municipality’s accounts. Following the prosecutor’s referral, the duty magistrate’s court arrested Akpolat on the grounds of the nature of the crime and the evidence.
January 15, 2026
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