Turkey court sentences opposition mayors to up to 23 years

A Turkish court sentenced opposition mayors to prison terms of up to 23 years and three months on corruption-related charges, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

The elected mayors were members of the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, which has faced investigations and arrests over the past year.

Anadolu reported that Riza Akpolat, mayor of Istanbul's Besiktas district, was sentenced to 23 years and three months on charges including bid-rigging, bribery and money laundering. Akpolat told the court in Silivri, west of Istanbul, that he was innocent and that there was no concrete evidence, according to the Anka news agency.

Anadolu said Zeydan Karalar, mayor of the southern city of Adana, was sentenced to six years and three months for bribery. Turkish media reported that Kadir Aydar, mayor of Ceyhan district in Adana province, received five years and 10 months.

The court acquitted Abdurrahman Tutdere, mayor of the southeastern city of Adiyaman. Ahmet Ozer, the former mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district, received a suspended sentence of eight months and 10 days for abuse of office.

Anadolu reported that the court also acquitted all defendants, including businessman Aziz Ihsan Aktas, of charges of leading, aiding or belonging to a criminal organisation. The trial involved about 200 defendants and was known in Turkish media as the “Aktas case”.

The CHP was the leading party in Turkey's 2024 local elections. Since then, dozens of opposition mayors have been arrested and removed from office across the country. Opposition figures accuse the government of using the judiciary to target political rivals, which Ankara denies.