State Prosecutors Seek Centuries-Long Prison Terms for CHP Mayors in Organized Crime Probe

The indictment against the alleged leader of an organized crime group, ‘Aziz İhsan Aktaş,’ who turned state’s witness and was subsequently released, has been finalized, naming 200 suspects, including prominent opposition mayors.

The investigation, which began on January 13th, targeted ten individuals, including the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Mayor of Beşiktaş, Rıza Akpolat, on charges of ‘membership in a criminal organization,’ ‘rigging bids,’ and ‘illicit enrichment.’

The criminal organization, allegedly headed by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, stands accused of organizing tenders and providing bribes to mayors and high-level municipal executives. Aktaş was initially arrested on April 18th in connection with these claims.

The key turning point in the investigation came when Aktaş sought to benefit from the penitence laws, giving supplementary testimony to the prosecutor on April 30th and May 11th. Following this cooperation, Aktaş was released to house arrest on June 4th, a measure that was entirely lifted on August 22nd.

In stark contrast, the sitting mayors who were arrested during the course of the investigation were ordered to remain in custody and will be tried while imprisoned.

578 Pages, 200 Suspects, and Maximum Sentences

The 578-page indictment, which took approximately ten months to complete, has now been sent to the Istanbul High Criminal Court. It names 19 individuals as ‘victims’ and 200 people as ‘suspects,’ including 40 currently in custody.

The maximum sentences sought for some of the key suspects, including several CHP mayors, illustrate the severity of the charges: