An investigation was launched after the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office received notices that the Adalar Municipality was turning a blind eye to illegal buildings and unlicensed businesses in protected areas in exchange for bribes. Within the scope of the investigation, an investigation was launched against Adalar Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat, Deputy Mayors Hüseyin Yılmaz and Fırat Durak, and some unit heads and municipal employees for the crimes of “bribery”, “extortion”, “forgery of official documents”, “establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime”, “opposition to the Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863” and “abuse of office”.

LICENSE CLAIM IN EXCHANGE FOR BRIBERY

Within the scope of the investigation, technical and physical monitoring was carried out by the Istanbul Provincial Police Department Financial Crimes Branch Directorate teams. While MASAK data, HTS and base records were being examined, the statements of many witnesses were taken. As a result of the studies carried out, it was stated that comprehensive renovation and construction activities carried out in historical buildings on the Islands were allowed in exchange for bribes under the name of “simple repair”, and that businesses that did not have a license were given licenses in return for bribes or these businesses were turned a blind eye.

BREAKING NEWS: Bribery operation against Adalar Municipality! 41 detained, including Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat | Video

IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THEY IMPOSED PENALTY AND BARGAINED

In the investigation, it was claimed that high fines were imposed on unlicensed businesses and illegal buildings, and then negotiations were made with building owners and operators to negotiate bribes in return for reduced fines. It was stated that the sentences of people who accepted to give bribes were reduced by making irregularities in the documents and that financial benefits were obtained by this method.

The file also included findings that municipal officials directed citizens who wanted to get a license to architects affiliated with them, and bribery negotiations were carried out through the architects, and that those who were included in the system were accelerated in their transactions and enabled them to obtain licenses illegally.

Bribery operation against Adalar Municipality: 41 suspects, including the Mayor, were detained | Video

40 ACTIONS, 47 SUSPECTS, 41 DETENTIONS

It was determined that municipal officials and business owners negotiated about bribes, and that a total of 47 suspects took part in 40 separate actions by hand-delivering the bribe money to municipal officials or persons connected to municipal officials. In the morning, simultaneous operations were carried out to a total of 90 addresses in 4 provinces centered in Istanbul. During the operation, 41 suspects, including Adalar Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat, Deputy Mayors Hüseyin Yılmaz and Fırat Durak, were caught and detained. While a large number of digital materials were seized during the operation, efforts to capture the fugitive suspects continue.

HERE IS THE A TEAM TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
In the huge operation launched after months of physical and technical follow-up, the suspects whose homes and offices in the municipality were searched and taken into custody are as follows:

Mustafa Turgut (Mayor of Silifke)

Ezgi Erdağ Demirtaş (Vice President)

Ersin Servi (Private Secretary)

Erdoğan Gürbüz (Retail Manager)

Şeyma Savar Demren (Zoning Director)

Turgut Ongun (Press and Publication Unit Chief / Presidential Driver)

Sait Oğuz (President of Zoning Commission / Sports Club Chairman)

Osman Yılmaz (Accounting Unit)

Fikri Öz, Bayram Ali Balcı (Municipal Personnel)

Emrah Yılmaz, Hasan Devrim Savar, Aydın Anıl Uğur, Bora Tuğay, Esen Tuba Tol, Vehbi Turgut, Mert Devlet Turgut, Nizamettin Ceylan.

It was learned that the suspect Erman Fatih Kirişçi, who collects the municipality’s million-dollar festival tenders and is the key figure in money traffic, is a fugitive and operations are ongoing to capture him. While the seized digital materials and documents were confiscated, it was reported that the investigation will continue and deepen.

Security forces launched a simultaneous operation against street gangs in 4 provinces, including Istanbul. Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that he initiated legal proceedings against 32 suspects, including 3 lawyers, during the operations.

Minister Gürlek used the following statements in his statement:

Our fight against street gangs, organized crime organizations and all criminal structures targeting the peace of our nation continues with uncompromising determination.

It acts in full coordination and coordination with our Ministry of Internal Affairs; We never tolerate any structure that threatens the peace of our cities and the future of our youth. This morning, under the coordination of our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office; Simultaneous operations were carried out in Istanbul, Muş, Diyarbakır, Erzurum and Tekirdağ provinces against one of the leading street gangs, and judicial proceedings were initiated against 32 suspects, including 3 lawyers.

On this occasion, I would like to express this clearly: Criminal organizations and gangs are carrying out a dirty disinformation campaign, saying “you are still young anyway, you will not be punished”, while luring our children into their own darkness. Although our efforts to further increase the penalties continue; Our current legal system foresees severe sanctions if children are involved in qualified crimes such as membership in an organization, attempted intentional murder, armed attack and plunder.

Our sweeping operations against these structures that try to entrap our children in criminal organizations, threaten the security of our streets, and provide unfair benefits by intimidating our citizens will continue with determination until their roots are eradicated. I would like to thank our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, who carried out the investigation meticulously, our Istanbul Provincial Police Department, who successfully carried out the operation, and all our public officials who contributed to the process.

The crisis in the CHP, which was confused after the absolute nullity decision, deepened gradually. Finally, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay resigned from CHP. AK Party MKYK Member Hamza Dağ evaluated Tugay’s resignation. Dağ said, “Today, the expectation of the people of Izmir is not that Mr. Tugay will resign from his CHP membership, but that he will resign from his post as the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.”

Dağ said the following in his post on social media:

The issue of which party Mr. Tugay is a member of is not on the agenda of the people of Izmir.

He said just a few days ago, “CHP is our umbrella, I do not plan to resign”; Mr. Tugay, who answered “I will do it under the CHP government” when asked why he did not implement a project regarding Izmir’s transportation problems a few weeks ago, left his party today, saying that the CHP is no longer the solution address.

It is not possible for a mentality that makes completely contradictory statements in such a short time to guide Izmir.

As a matter of fact, during the approximately two and a half years he was in office, no permanent work could be brought to Izmir, no solutions could be produced to chronic problems, on the contrary, new ones were added to the existing problems. Izmir has gone backwards in many areas, from transportation to infrastructure, from urban planning to basic services of municipality; Our citizens are left alone with problems that grow day by day.

Izmir has not only lost the last two and a half years. More importantly, the people of Izmir now clearly see that the remaining two and a half years will not be any different.

For this reason, the expectation of the people of Izmir today is not that Mr. Tugay will resign from his CHP membership; His resignation from his post as Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.

According to the breaking news; Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Inc. An investigation was launched upon the allegation that Deputy General Manager Erhan Karaal was kidnapped by unidentified persons.

Breaking News: İBB Kültür A.Ş Deputy General Manager Erhan Karaal was kidnapped! Statement from the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office | Video

In the written statement made by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was stated that “Upon receiving information that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Inc. Deputy General Manager Erhan KARAAL was kidnapped by unidentified persons in Maltepe district of our city on June 17, 2026, the necessary instructions were given to the law enforcement to find the victim and capture the suspects, and the investigation continues meticulously.”

ERHAN KARAAL’S PLACE IN THE INDICTMENT

Kültür A.Ş. Financial Affairs Manager Erhan Karaal, who is included in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality indictment as a member of the organization, is held responsible for 12 actions. In the first of these actions, it was explained that the main tender was awarded to Kültür A.Ş. for 3 million 100 thousand liras and this money entered the coffers of IMM. It was determined that after receiving the job, Kültür A.Ş. illegally gave it to another company called Elis Dış Ticaret for 4 million 200 thousand liras. Erhan Karaal is among the names that caused the 1 million 100 thousand public losses that entered the IMM’s coffers.

HE TOOK A PARTY IN PUBLIC DAMAGES OF 1 BILLION 571 MILLION

490 million 996 thousand liras, 308 million 95 thousand liras, 296 million 404 thousand liras, 252 million 534 thousand liras, 86 million 159 thousand liras, 53 million 572 thousand liras, 27 million, 18 million 784 thousand liras and 36 million liras due to the irregular tender made in the actions in which Karaal took part. It is stated that 606 thousand liras of public damage occurred. The total public loss from the actions in which Karaal took part is 1 billion 571 million 250 thousand liras.

AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yayman noted the following in his post on his NSosyal account:

“The European Parliament’s 2025 Turkey Report contains evaluations regarding our country that are far from the principle of impartiality and are shaped by political motivation. We do not accept and reject the ‘so-called’ report, which does not reflect the realities of Türkiye and was prepared with a one-sided perspective. You are null and void for us with your double-standard attitude and hypocritical policies. Ignoring Türkiye’s security policies, its fight against terrorism and its responsibilities towards regional peace and stability shows that the approach in question does not qualify as an objective and constructive evaluation.” shows.”

“IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FIND RESPONSE BY OUR NATION”

Emphasizing that the unfounded allegations made about Türkiye’s democratic institutions and legal system do not reflect the truth, Yayman stated that the Turkish judiciary, which continues its activities within the framework of the Constitution, fulfills its duty independently and impartially.

Reminding that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has made significant progress in many fields, especially the defense industry, diplomacy, energy and transportation, and has become an effective actor in its region and on a global scale, Yayman said, “It is not possible for our nation to find a response for evaluations that ignore Türkiye’s rising power and the strategic vision it has put forward.” he said.

Hüseyin Yayman underlined that Türkiye will resolutely defend its national interests and continue on its way with its strong and independent stance.