Istanbul’s Şile mayor detained in latest probe against municipalities
ISTANBUL
Authorities on July 10 detained the mayor of Istanbul’s Şile district as part of a corruption investigation, marking the latest development in a broader crackdown targeting opposition-run municipalities.
Mayor Özgür Kabadayı and five senior municipal officials were taken into custody early in the morning on charges including “establishing a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “misconduct in public office” and “rigging public tenders,” according to a statement by the prosecutor’s office.
His party, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that Kabadayı was detained during a raid at his residence at around 1:30 a.m. on July 10, condemning the operation and calling it politically motivated.
The detention marks the latest in a string of crackdowns on municipalities run by the opposition. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and several other mayors have been jailed since March over similar corruption-related allegations.
Most recently, on July 9, Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin were suspended from office following their arrests in an ongoing corruption investigation. Şahin had assumed the role after Mayor Hasan Akgün was also arrested on similar charges.
Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek was likewise removed from office following his arrest, while Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere was placed under house arrest.
Meanwhile, calls on July 10 mounted for the release of Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was arrested alongside İmamoğlu in March, amid growing concerns over his deteriorating health.
Çalık, who has a history of cancer and was recently operated on due to suspected lymphoma, was transferred to prison on July 9 following surgery. He was taken back to hospital shortly afterward, where he suffered a cardiac event and was placed in intensive care for observation.
