Turkish authorities arrest CHP mayors

ANKARA — Turkish authorities have arrested three mayors affiliated with the opposition Republican People’s Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, CHP), according to a statement by Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who confirmed the arrests were made as part of a corruption investigation.

Yavaş posted on X that the mayors of Adana (Zeydan Karalar), Antalya (Muhittin Böcek), and Adıyaman (Abdurrahman Tutdere) were detained by Turkish security forces. While being escorted to a police vehicle, Karalar responded to a journalist’s question about the arrest by saying, “When a journalist or politician becomes influential, they silence them,” implying political motivation behind the action.

In his statement, Yavaş criticized the state of justice in Turkey, stating: “In a system where the law bends with politics, where justice is applied selectively, and ignored for others, no one should expect us to believe in the rule of law or trust in justice. We will not bow to oppression, lawlessness, or political manipulation.”

These arrests follow a similar high-profile case in March, when Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was also detained on corruption charges, sparking massive protests across the country—the largest since 2013. 

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party) issued a strong statement condemning the recent wave of arrests.

Adana Büyükşehir Belediye Başkanımız Zeydan Karalar, Antalya Büyükşehir Belediye Başkanımız Muhittin Böcek ve Adıyaman Belediye Başkanımız Abdurrahman Tutdere Aziz İhsan Aktaş’ın iftiraları nedeniyle gözaltına alındı. Bu durum
hukukun ne yazık ki kimlere nasıl işlediğini bir kez…

— Mansur Yavaş (@mansuryavas06) July 5, 2025