Politics
Turkish opposition CHP’s push for snap vote met with stony dismissal
Turkish political parties, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), have dismissed the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) attempt to push for interim parliamentary elections.
“Can Mr. Özgür Özel persuade 22 CHP lawmakers to resign? The CHP has far bigger problems right now,” MHP Deputy Group Chair Filiz Kılıç told reporters Friday.
CHP leader Özgür Özel earlier this week hinted at a new move for rescheduling the 2028 general elections. Though he did not elaborate, pro-CHP media outlets said the party may have several lawmakers resign to force Parliament to have an early election.
Kılıç said the MHP is “closely monitoring” the corruption allegations facing the CHP and added, “We wish for a strong opposition for Türkiye’s democracy to develop and therefore do not consider a by-election likely.”
Under the Turkish Constitution, local elections are held every five years, and adjusting this schedule requires a constitutional amendment. So far, no party in Parliament, except the minor opposition Good Party (IP), has backed Özel’s push, and the CHP’s former ally, Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), has also refrained.
The DEM Party, which has been cooperating with the parliamentary commission to dissolve the PKK terrorist group it is affiliated with, said it prioritizes the terror-free Türkiye process and ruled out a snap election as ”the right course of action.”
The disagreement over the by-elections has raised questions about whether it will create a new rift between the DEM Party and the CHP, which previously clashed over the “Imralı visit” controversy when the CHP refused to join a Parliament-wide delegation that met with the PKK’s jailed ringleader at his prison island Imralı last November as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
DEM Party officials have said that an election-focused agenda pushed by the CHP could overshadow efforts to end PKK terrorism, which has claimed over 40,000 lives and sown deep discord in Türkiye since the 1980s.
Meanwhile, the AK Party accused the CHP of using early election rhetoric to distract from corruption in its municipalities. Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said Wednesday that Özel was “detached from the realities of Türkiye and the world,” and party leadership considers the move politically ineffective.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli too has previously rejected the possibility of early elections in no uncertain terms.
Bahçeli has also firmly rejected the possibility of early elections. Yet Özel remains determined, insisting, “We will do everything to bring out the ballot box for a general election.” He plans to meet Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and opposition leaders to seek support in the coming days.
Eight seats are currently vacant in Parliament for various reasons. If the number of lawmakers falls by 5%, or 30 deputies, Parliament is obliged to call elections for those constituencies within three months.
The CHP may propose the resignation of 22 of its parliament members, but such resignations can only be accepted by a decision of the General Assembly. The AK Party, which holds a majority in Parliament, will be decisive as well.
Özel has been vocal about his calls for an early vote as a court in Ankara handles a trial questioning the legitimacy of Özel’s leadership at Türkiye’s oldest party. On Wednesday, a new hearing was held in the trial over the CHP’s 38th Congress, which brought Özel to power in November 2023. Özel and his associates are accused of buying votes of delegates to oust then-Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The trial was postponed to May 6 amid media reports that the verdict will likely be an “absolute nullification” of the Özel administration.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
Turkish officials are urging Muslims living abroad to report incidents of Islamophobia to relevant authorities, including the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), as many have become desensitized to daily discrimination.
Fatih Mehmet Karaca, the deputy head of Türkiye’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, told the Sub-Committee on Turks Abroad and Related Communities at an event on Thursday that Muslims often refrain from filing complaints because they see Islamophobic acts as routine.
“We must bring Islamophobic incidents to the attention of the relevant authorities at every level, both individually and institutionally, including the ECtHR,” he said, adding that the directorate provides guidance to citizens on reporting procedures.
The committee, chaired by Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Istanbul Deputy Seda Gören, also heard from Ensari Yentürk, director general of foreign relations of the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Yentürk noted that a significant portion of Islamophobic incidents go unrecorded due to fears of retaliation, but confirmed that verified data collected by the directorate is submitted to authorities to ensure appropriate action.
Karaca emphasized that while some European organizations can take even minor cases to the ECtHR and obtain outcomes, Turkish citizens abroad must also actively document and report discrimination.
European Muslims, including people of Turkish background living in the European Union, have faced persistent and in many cases increasing levels of Islamophobic discrimination, harassment and hate crimes over the past decade, according to official surveys and incident data.
Nearly half of Muslims surveyed across 13 EU countries reported experiencing racial discrimination in their daily lives during the five years before 2022, with figures rising to about 47% from 39% in 2016, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) said in its most recent “Being Muslim in the EU” report.
Discrimination was particularly prevalent in employment, housing and public services, and was reported more frequently by visible Muslims such as women wearing religious clothing. Turks and other Muslims of immigrant background fall within these broader figures, which reflect patterns of exclusion some say have persisted for years.
The FRA update also highlights a notable increase in anti‑Muslim incidents since Israel’s war on Gaza that began in October 2023, with countries such as Austria reporting more than 1,500 reported hate crimes in 2023, the highest total since 2015. Nearly one in four Muslims reported racist harassment in the five years leading up to the survey, and around 4% said they had been subject to physical racist attacks in that period.
Separate monitoring by projects like I‑Report shows high levels of Islamophobic hate crimes in individual countries. In Germany, some 1,926 anti‑Muslim hate crimes were officially recorded in 2023, while Austria logged 1,522 incidents, both representing increases over prior year totals. Experts warn these figures likely underestimate the scale of prejudice because many victims do not file official reports.
An interim ruling in the organized crime case involving former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu kept the majority of defendants in custody, as the court continued to weigh extensive corruption allegations tied to his municipal operations.
At the 15th session of the trial concluded early Friday, the court ruled to release 18 defendants under judicial control measures, including travel bans, while ordering the continued detention of 89 others.
The decision followed arguments from defense lawyers and a prior request from prosecutors, who had sought the release of a limited number of suspects while maintaining custody for the majority.
The case, which involves 407 defendants, 107 of whom were initially held in pretrial detention, centers on allegations of systematic corruption, bribery, and abuse of public resources within the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB). Prosecutors argue that a coordinated network led by senior municipal officials engaged in tender rigging and illicit financial practices, resulting in estimated public losses of TL 160 billion and $24 million across 143 actions.
No release orders were issued for key figures, including Imamoğlu and several other mayors. Imamoğlu continues to face charges as the alleged ringleader of the network, while other municipal officials are also accused of playing central roles in the scheme. All defendants deny the allegations.
The broader investigation reflects mounting scrutiny of municipalities governed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), where multiple probes are ongoing. These investigations encompass accusations ranging from large-scale procurement irregularities to alleged links with terrorist financing.
CHP’s ‘secret network’
Separately, testimony linked to the CHP’s internal proceedings has added to the controversy surrounding the party leadership.
Former CHP Bitlis Provincial Chairperson Veysi Uyanık, who testified as a witness in a case concerning alleged irregularities, including bribery, at the party’s 38th Ordinary Congress, claimed he “handed out cash” to delegates.
Speaking to Turkish newspaper Sabah, Uyanık said he received TL 100,000 ($2,250) from party official Özgür Karabat and distributed it in sums of TL 20,000 to delegates at the 2023 congress, alleging financial inducements were used to influence the outcome of the congress.
Uyanık also leveled a series of accusations against senior party figures, particularly CHP Chair Özgür Özel. He claimed that Imamoğlu financed Özel’s political rise and alleged that a $3 million property in New York was purchased for Özel with external backing, calling on him to publicly explain the source of funds and ownership details.
Uyanık further suggested that a small circle within the party exercised disproportionate control over decision-making processes. He named several figures he claimed were part of an internal “system,” asserting that financial resources tied to Imamoğlu played a decisive role in consolidating influence within the party leadership. He argued that without such backing, Özel would have struggled to secure sufficient support during the leadership contest.
A Turkish court has sentenced eight defendants to a combined 48 years in prison for espionage activities conducted on behalf of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, with a former police officer receiving the longest term.
The Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court on Friday handed Hamza Turhan Ayberk a 20-year prison sentence for “serial political or military espionage,” while seven other defendants received four years and two months each for obtaining state security-related information.
The other convicted suspects, Hakan Kabaca, Funda Kadayıfçıoğlu, Ercan Kama, Ömer Burak Gezer, Ismail Kaya, Mehmet Yetimova and Özkan Şahin, all detained in late 2024, were found guilty of acting jointly to gather and transfer sensitive information.
The court ruled that Ayberk will remain in custody, while Kabaca was released under judicial supervision. The remaining defendants had been tried without detention.
According to the indictment, Ayberk, a former police officer, established contact with Mossad operatives code-named “Victoria” and “Marc” and carried out assignments involving surveillance and intelligence gathering.
Ayberk met “Victoria” in Belgrade in 2019, a meeting he acknowledged in his statement, after which he was tasked with monitoring individuals and investigating their financial assets. Prosecutors said these assignments went beyond routine inquiries and constituted espionage activities.
He later coordinated with other defendants, assigning tasks such as tracking individuals in hotels, conducting asset investigations and compiling personal data. The information was then transmitted to Mossad operatives through digital platforms, including Skype and email.
In one operation detailed in the indictment, Ayberk and several co-defendants followed individuals arriving in Türkiye and gathered intelligence on their movements. Authorities said such activities were carried out in coordination and over an extended period.
Prosecutors said Ayberk received payments through bank transfers and cryptocurrency, and distributed money to some of the other defendants in exchange for their assistance.
The indictment also cited communication records and technical data showing repeated contact among the suspects. Historical telephone signal records indicated overlapping locations and sustained interaction between Ayberk and other defendants, supporting claims of an organized network.
Hakan Kabaca was accused of supplying sensitive personal data, including travel records, accommodation details and passport information, in return for payment. Authorities said he maintained frequent contact with Ayberk and other suspects.
Prosecutors argued that the group collected and shared confidential information on individuals in Türkiye who were considered targets of Israeli intelligence, including some who had sought refuge in the country.
The indictment noted that such information is protected under international agreements and warned that its exposure could enable further actions such as surveillance, abduction or assassination attempts.
Financial investigations conducted by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) found that the defendants obtained material benefits from their activities.
The prosecution had sought prison sentences ranging from 18 years and nine months to 36 years and nine months for espionage-related charges, arguing that the suspects acted in coordination and committed the offenses multiple times.
During the hearings, defendants denied the accusations and presented their defenses, while the court evaluated digital evidence, financial records and witness statements before delivering its verdict.
As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict rages on, Türkiye has uncovered several networks operated by Mossad in the country, resulting in dozens of arrests and ongoing prosecutions since 2022 alone.
The first major crackdown came in late 2022, when authorities detained 68 suspects in Istanbul and other provinces. In 2023, coordinated raids, including operations in Istanbul and Izmir, led to the arrest of at least 60 additional individuals. In 2024, authorities opened four separate espionage cases, encompassing over 100 suspects who were either detained, arrested, or under investigation.
Many suspects were accused of collecting sensitive personal data and conducting surveillance on foreign nationals residing in Türkiye, particularly Palestinians or those associated with the Palestinian group Hamas. Mossad is said to have also recruited Palestinians and Syrian nationals in Türkiye as part of an operation against foreigners living in Türkiye.
After a brief normalization period in 20222, Türkiye-Israel ties deteriorated again after Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 73,000 Palestinians. Ankara is one of the strongest critics of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
Turkish security forces carried out 1,895 operations against terrorist groups between Jan. 1 and March 30, detaining 2,778 suspects and arresting 707 of them, according to data compiled from the Interior Ministry.
According to an Anadolu Agency (AA) report, the figures showed that security operations continued at a high pace during the first quarter of 2026, targeting militant groups, organized crime networks and drug traffickers across the country.
Of the anti-terror operations, 390 targeted the outlawed PKK terrorist group and resulted in the destruction of six shelters and hideouts used by the group, the report said.
Turkish authorities also said 61 militants surrendered during the three-month period through what officials described as persuasion efforts. That brought the number of militants who have surrendered through the same method since May 12, 2025, to 146.
The report added that 73 members of terrorist groups had surrendered to security forces as a result of a long-running protest launched by the so-called Diyarbakir mothers, a group of families who have staged a sit-in since Sept. 3, 2019, demanding the return of children they say were recruited by the PKK.
From Jan. 1 to March 30, authorities also carried out 1,505 operations against the Gülenist terror group (FETÖ) as well as against other groups, including the DHKP/C, MLKP and what officials described as religiously motivated terrorist groups.
In 697 operations against FETÖ, 1,399 suspects were detained, with 395 arrested and 316 released under judicial control measures, the report said.
Another 597 operations targeting religiously motivated groups led to the detention of 1,016 suspects, 210 of whom were arrested. In 211 operations against the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) and other leftist groups, 363 suspects were detained and 102 arrested.
Authorities also conducted 581 operations against organized crime groups, taking action against 215 criminal organizations.
In addition, police carried out 13,115 anti-narcotics operations, seizing 6.5 tons of skunk cannabis, 4 tons of synthetic drugs, 1.7 tons of marijuana, 772 kilograms of cocaine, 441 kilograms of bonzai, 309 kilograms of heroin, 12 kilograms of opium gum and nearly 40 million drug pills.
Ümit Özdağ, leader of the far-right Victory Party (ZP), courted the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Thursday, suggesting an alliance.
At a news conference in Ankara, Özdağ said it was understood that CHP leader Özgür Özel would have his party’s lawmakers resign in a bid to launch a process for a by-election (with two years to the next election). “The by-election is not a solution in itself, and the resignations would be subject to the approval of the ruling bloc. So, we call on the CHP and other parties to come together for a national alliance. We call on Mr. Özel and all other Atatürkists, patriots and nationalists to come together under Atatürk,” he said, referring to Türkiye’s first president and CHP’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Özdağ also called on the CHP not to support the terror-free Türkiye initiative for the disarmament of the PKK. Özdağ and like-minded ultranationalists claim the initiative is “betrayal.”
“The CHP only gives legitimacy to the government by remaining at that table,” he said, referring to the parliamentary committee formed by political parties for guiding legislative steps for the initiative.
The ZP leader, who rode a wave of popularity with his anti-migrant rhetoric during the Syrian civil war, which pushed millions of refugees into Türkiye, briefly supported a six-party alliance led by the CHP during the 2023 elections before reverting to his opposition to the CHP and others in the alliance, including his former party, the Good Party (IP). The election ended in a runoff between then CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who eventually won another term. Özdağ supported Kılıçdaroğlu in the second round after the ZP’s alliance collapsed when their candidate stepped down following the first round. At one point, Özdağ later admitted that he asked for the post of interior minister in exchange for supporting Erdoğan in the election, but Erdoğan rejected the proposal.
Özel has been vocal about his calls for an early vote as a court in Ankara handles a trial questioning the legitimacy of Özel’s leadership at Türkiye’s oldest party. He told a news conference in Ankara that he would seek a meeting with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş in the coming days. “The speaker should declare his stance on an early election. We will make a significant move soon for an early election,” he sufficed to say.
Media outlets reported that the CHP would initially seek a by-election in Parliament. The Constitution allows a legislative by-election after 30 months have passed since the last general election and one year before the scheduled date of the next election. If vacant parliamentary seats are 30 or more, Parliament is mandated to declare a by-election. Unconfirmed reports say eight seats are already vacant, and if 22 CHP lawmakers resign, Parliament may decide on a by-election. However, the resignations will only be valid if Parliament’s General Assembly approves, where the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) retains a majority. Özel will likely seek to persuade Kurtulmuş to approve the resignations, media reports say. The government has repeatedly rejected calls for an early election, although the AK Party signalled that the 2028 election may be rescheduled, but only to the last months of 2027.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) during a meeting on Wednesday that Türkiye was cautiously optimistic on the future of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, the Sabah newspaper reported.
The president chaired the Central Executive Committee meeting of the AK Party after a speech at the party’s parliamentary group meeting, where he highlighted their bid to “keep Türkiye out of fire.”
Emphasizing the escalating tension along the U.S.-Israel-Iran line, Erdoğan told the meeting that Türkiye is closely monitoring the process and is intensively continuing its diplomatic initiatives.
“We are cautiously optimistic. Hopefully, this process will come to an end. We are using all our diplomatic power to prevent it from spreading and to ensure it ends as soon as possible,” he said.
Stressing that Türkiye will maintain its peace- and stability-oriented approach, Erdoğan underlined the sensitivity of developments in the region.
At the meeting, Erdoğan also issued important warnings to members of the board regarding the war in the region, noting that an appropriate tone should be used.
Ankara has so far maintained a neutral stance in the war and has joined efforts to find a diplomatic solution. It has also shot down four missiles fired from Iran since last month. Tehran has denied targeting Türkiye deliberately and warned of false flag operations.
“Our priority is that our country should come out of this stormy period without any incident. We are determined to keep Türkiye out of the fire. We are not falling for the traps of the opposition and manage this process in a cautious, balanced and rational manner,” he told the parliamentary group meeting of his party on Wednesday.
The opposition adopted a more hawkish tone in the early days of the war and mostly called for siding with Iran while sending mixed signals about the “regime change” in Iran. The government has avoided a firebrand or one-sided approach so far, despite Türkiye seeing four missiles entering its airspace since the war began on Feb. 28. Ankara has never been harsh in its discourse toward Iran, and the missiles were intercepted by NATO’s defense systems. Instead, Türkiye has been keen on playing the role of mediator as it did in the other conflicts in the region and beyond.
Erdoğan reminded that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan joined a quadrilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan to discuss steps to stop the war. He said Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın were also exerting efforts to that extent.
Minister Göktaş: “9 thousand 152 foster families offer a warm home to 10 thousand 897 children”
Minister Bayraktar: We are on the verge of a great transformation in the world.”
President Erdoğan met with NATO Secretary General Rutte
Minister Göktaş: “9 thousand 152 foster families offer a warm home to 10 thousand 897 children”
Minister Bayraktar: We are on the verge of a great transformation in the world.”
President Erdoğan met with NATO Secretary General Rutte
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