An Istanbul court sentenced six opposition mayors to prison terms ranging from eight months to 23 years on corruption charges on August 24, 2026, marking a major escalation in legal pressure against Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). The rulings target municipalities run by the CHP and have drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders who view the prosecutions as an attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to sideline political rivals ahead of future elections.
Istanbul Court Hand Downs Strict Sentences to Six Opposition Mayors
Severe Penalties for Besiktaş and Surrounding Municipalities
The harshest penalty in the August 24 ruling went to Riza Akpolat, the suspended mayor of Istanbul’s Besiktaş district, who received a sentence of 23 years and three months. According to news agency DHA, Akpolat’s conviction covers charges of bribery, tender manipulation, and money laundering.
Additional prison terms were handed down to several other local officials. Oya Tekin, Zeydan Karalar, Utku Caner Çaykara, Kadir Aydar, and Ahmet Özer were convicted primarily on charges of bribery and abuse of power.
Reinstatement and Relief for Adiyaman Mayor
The court did grant some relief in related proceedings. Abdurrahman Tutdere, the mayor of Adiyaman—a city of approximately 300,000 residents in south-central Turkey—was acquitted and successfully reinstated to his position.
Dismissal of Structured Criminal Organization Accusations
While the court handed down lengthy prison sentences for financial crimes, it formally dismissed the accusation that the defendants operated as part of a structured criminal organization. The sprawling legal process originally encompassed some 200 individuals and stemmed from allegations made by businessman Aziz Ihsan Aktas, whom prosecutors labeled as the head of a bribery network designed to secure municipal contracts.
The Role of Pentinent Witness Testimony and Defense Challenges
Aktas faced a potential prison sentence of up to 280 years but ultimately stood trial in freedom after cooperating with authorities as an “arrepentido” (penitent witness). His testimony triggered the initial arrest of 47 people, including five opposition mayors.
Defense attorneys challenged Aktas’s credibility during the trial, pointing out that the businessman had previously secured contracts with administrations run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and maintained active business ties with members of that party without facing criminal prosecution.
Political Motives and the Broader National Landscape
The trials unfold against a backdrop of intensifying scrutiny directed at municipal leaders belonging to the CHP. The ongoing legal pressure mirrors the high-profile detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, who was detained in March 2025 and subsequently processed in a separate corruption case.
CHP leadership and defense teams have consistently maintained that these judicial actions are politically motivated fabrications designed to neutralize popular figures like Imamoglu and undermine municipal governance ahead of national electoral cycles.
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