The mayor of Istanbul's Beykoz municipality, Alaatin Köseler, was detained today as part of an investigation into charges of “bid rigging“, Turkish television CNN Türk reports, BTA reports.
The Beykoz Chief Prosecutor's Office has issued an arrest warrant for four people, including Mayor Köseler. He, who is a representative of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was detained early this morning by teams from the Istanbul Police's Financial Crimes Unit.
This is the latest arrest of a CHP mayor in Istanbul, which has sparked a sharp political reaction.
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel commented on the detention on his X social media account, stating that “the actions taken against elected mayors after the local elections on March 31, 2024 are an expression of panic on the part of a political party and its leadership, which lost local power after 20 years“.
“Everyone should know that the Palace regime may be trying to intimidate everyone, but we will not let ourselves be intimidated“, Özel added.
In the local elections on March 31 2024 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost a national election for the first time since coming to power in 2002. The HDP emerged victorious, and Erdogan's party suffered defeat in many of the largest cities, including Istanbul and Ankara.