Politics
Istanbul court jailed Adalar mayor, 34 others in graft probe
The court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of 35 suspects, including Adalar Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), as part of an investigation into allegations that permits were issued in exchange for bribes in protected areas of Istanbul’s Adalar district.
The investigation, led by the Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, focuses on claims that municipal officials granted licenses for unauthorized constructions in areas designated as natural and archaeological protected sites.
According to judicial authorities, 39 suspects were referred to court following questioning by prosecutors. The court ordered the detention of 35 individuals, including Akpolat, while four others were released under judicial supervision measures.
Prosecutors allege that municipal officials, including senior administrators and employees, were involved in a scheme in which permits were issued in return for bribes. Evidence collected during the investigation reportedly indicated that negotiations over payments took place between municipal officials and business owners and that cash was delivered either directly to officials or to individuals linked to them.
Authorities said investigators identified 47 suspects allegedly connected to 40 separate incidents uncovered during the probe.
The investigation culminated in coordinated raids carried out on June 19 across Istanbul and three other provinces. Police searched 90 addresses and detained 42 suspects, including the mayor.
During one of the searches, authorities seized $258,000 in cash and 13 gold bracelets from the residence of a contractor identified by the initials M.Ö., a former member of the Adalar Municipal Council.
Following police questioning and medical examinations, the suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Anadolu Courthouse. Three individuals were released after giving statements to prosecutors, while the remaining suspects were referred to court.
The investigation remains ongoing.
A draft law to advance the terror-free Türkiye initiative, which involves the disarmament and dissolution of the terrorist group PKK, was before Parliament on Monday for deliberation.
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration provides for the deferral of prosecution and prison terms for members of the terrorist group who surrender. Parliament’s Justice Committee approved the bill over the weekend and referred it to the General Assembly.
Monday was also the last day before parliament begins a recess that will continue until October. Lawmakers are expected to continue discussions on the law until early hours of Tuesday.
Abdullah Güler, parliamentary group chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), who worked with representatives of other parties to drum up support for the draft law, sought to convince lawmakers to have faith in the legislation, while most parties expressed support for it.
“We don’t want guns to dominate the agenda in this country again. This law truly presents a terror-free Türkiye model,” he told lawmakers at the General Assembly.
The General Assembly session was portrayed as “historic” by Turkish media outlets. It was almost as if the initiative had come full circle, with Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government’s ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), sitting in his usual seat and shaking hands with lawmakers from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in October 2024.
The unprecedented sight of a nationalist politician shaking hands with lawmakers from a party closely linked to the PKK is now regarded as the informal beginning of the initiative. Soon after the handshake, Bahçeli called for the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to order the terrorist group to lay down its arms. Öcalan complied and made the call in February 2025.
Bahçeli shook hands with DEM lawmakers again as he took his parliamentary seat, just a few inches away from Müsavat Dervişoğlu, leader of the Good Party (IP), which strictly opposes the law. Dervişoğlu and other IP lawmakers donned scarves with Turkish flags to protest the legislation.
The main opposition New Party (YP), which had remained undecided on its position on the law, announced at the last minute on Monday that it would vote in favor of it.
The draft bill will come into force once authorities verify that the PKK and all of its regional affiliates have fully dissolved and handed over all weapons and munitions to security forces, and this verification is published in the Official Gazette.
The bill covers crimes including founding and running the PKK, aiding and abetting the group, producing propaganda for it and funding its operations. Suspects who were prosecuted or investigated for those crimes will have their sentences deferred for five to 10 years. The deferral period will be longer for those prosecuted for crimes carrying prison terms of more than 15 years.
PKK members involved in killings, as well as those prosecuted and sentenced for crimes carrying penalties such as life imprisonment before June 1, 2005, will be exempt from the deferrals. This includes most senior PKK cadres currently hiding in northern Iraq, as well as Abdullah Öcalan, who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently held in an island prison near Istanbul.
Those benefiting from the deferrals will have certain political and civil rights suspended for two to three years. PKK members seeking to benefit from the deferrals will be allowed to apply at Turkish diplomatic missions in their countries of residence.
Türkiye will also establish two boards to monitor the process: a monitoring board chaired by the vice president and a parliamentary board comprising 17 members. Authorities will record every weapon, piece of ammunition, explosive and piece of equipment declared by PKK members in a registry to monitor the dissolution process.
Speaking on behalf of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the early hours of the session, lawmaker Inan Akgün Alp said his party had consistently supported resolving what he called the “Kurdish issue” through peaceful means and would unreservedly support current efforts as well.
“If the guns fall silent, brotherhood will grow stronger. If brotherhood grows stronger, Türkiye will grow stronger. If Türkiye grows stronger, our nation will win,” Alp said.
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız assured fellow lawmakers in his speech at the Assembly that the bill was not a regulation that “eliminates convictions, changes the legal nature of crimes or terminates criminal liability.”
“Ongoing investigation and prosecution processes, as well as finalized convictions, remain in force with all their consequences. No change is envisaged regarding the nature of the crime, the conviction or criminal liability,” he said.
Addressing the session, DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan said the law was the “first step toward bringing Kurds within the legal order.”
“I would particularly like to underline the founding role of Öcalan, whose call for peace and a democratic society on Feb. 27, 2025, made this beginning possible. His efforts in favor of a solution should be viewed fairly, rather than through prejudice.
“We also acknowledge the constructive role played in this process by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli.
“The law we are discussing today is not a law that creates privileges; it is the first step toward resolving the conflict. This is not a matter of give and take. It is a step toward correcting our historical relationship and achieving a proper reconciliation.
“This law and this process are not concessions, nor are they about winning or losing. There is only one winner in this process: all of Türkiye, our 86 million citizens,” he said.
YP Chair Özgür Özel said the party had decided to vote in favor of the law “so that mothers would not have to hug their children’s coffins.”
“Peace, democracy and justice will be the medicine of this country. We will build our common future together,” he added.
Türkiye’s Parliament on Monday passed a landmark 12-article law supporting the country’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, following months of political efforts led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli.
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved with 468 votes in favor and 88 against. A total of 562 lawmakers took part in the vote, with six abstentions.
The legislation cleared the General Assembly after lawmakers completed deliberations on all 12 articles. It had previously been approved by Parliament’s Justice Committee following a marathon session lasting over 17 hours.
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran hailed the law’s passage as an important demonstration of the political resolve behind Türkiye’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative.
Duran said the historic step would further strengthen national unity and solidarity and contribute to Türkiye’s goal of permanently eliminating terrorism and moving toward a safer future.
He thanked lawmakers, political parties and others involved throughout the legislative process, saying the measure adopted under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership should become a lasting achievement for future generations.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, meanwhile, described the vote as a “historic achievement,” saying the level of parliamentary consensus was rarely seen even in constitutional votes.
“This success does not belong to a single party; it is a success for all of Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş told reporters after the vote.
Describing the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative as a “Türkiye model” developed without outside mediation, Kurtulmuş said the next stage would focus on the terrorist organization fully laying down its arms and dissolving itself.
He also credited Erdoğan’s political leadership and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli’s support for advancing the process, while thanking political parties and lawmakers for their contributions.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek also welcomed the legislation, saying the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative would help the country leave behind the heavy costs of terrorism and make peace, security and fraternity permanent.
Gürlek said the legislation would further strengthen national unity as Türkiye advances its “Century of Türkiye” vision and thanked Erdoğan, Bahçeli, Kurtulmuş, political parties and lawmakers for their roles in the process.
The vote represents a key parliamentary milestone in the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, which seeks to permanently end terrorism and oversee the disarmament and dissolution of the PKK terrorist group.
Speaking before the final vote, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair Efkan Ala said the broad parliamentary backing demonstrated the level of political consensus surrounding the initiative.
Ala said 367 lawmakers had initially signed the legislative proposal, with additional lawmakers adding their support afterward.
He also outlined the expected next stages of the process, saying developments would be monitored by a parliamentary commission after the legislation enters into force.
According to Ala, authorities would verify the surrender of weapons and ammunition as well as the terrorist group’s dissolution on the ground. The findings would then be assessed by the National Security Council (MGK), with subsequent decisions published in the Official Gazette.
“The terrorist organization will be dismantled with all its elements, both at home and abroad, including in Europe,” Ala said.
New Party Chairperson Özgür Özel also announced his party’s support for the legislation during the General Assembly debate, saying it would not stand in the way of efforts to achieve peace.
“We will not stand in the way of peace so that we no longer receive news of martyrs,” Özel said. “We will vote ‘yes’ on this law.”
Özel said political parties had a responsibility to prevent further loss of life and argued that lasting peace ultimately belonged to the Turkish people.
MHP leader Bahçeli was seen applauding Özel’s remarks in Parliament, underscoring the broad political support behind the legislation despite differences among the parties over aspects of the process.
The legislation forms a central component of the broader “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, which has gathered momentum through a series of political and institutional steps aimed at eliminating the PKK’s armed presence and bringing the decadeslong terrorism problem to an end.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday called for deeper economic and strategic cooperation between Türkiye and Austria while urging the European Union to move forward on modernizing the Customs Union and advancing visa liberalization.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Erdoğan said the two leaders discussed the full scope of bilateral ties, as well as Türkiye-EU relations and key regional and global developments.
Erdoğan said Türkiye attaches importance to the well-being and prosperity of the Turkish community in Austria, adding that the issue was also raised during their talks.
Regarding Türkiye’s relations with the European Union, Erdoğan said he conveyed Ankara’s expectations to Stocker during their meeting.
“I emphasized that steps to be taken by the European Union, particularly on modernizing the Customs Union and the visa liberalization dialogue, would be in all of our interests,” Erdoğan said.
The leaders also discussed regional conflicts, with Erdoğan reiterating Türkiye’s commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity and unity and saying Ankara values Austria’s potential contribution to the country’s reconstruction.
On the Middle East, Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for a two-state solution, describing it as indispensable for lasting peace in the region.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, an issue he said Stocker also viewed with particular sensitivity.
Erdoğan added that Türkiye and Austria attach great importance to maintaining stability in the Balkans and voiced hope that the recent positive momentum in bilateral relations would continue.
Stocker, meanwhile, praised Türkiye’s role in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and commended Erdoğan’s personal diplomatic efforts toward finding a resolution to the conflict.
Pointing to growing economic ties, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Austria have maintained positive momentum in bilateral trade and expressed confidence that trade volume would reach the countries’ $5 billion target this year, up from around $4 billion in 2022.
More than 1,000 Austrian companies currently operate in Türkiye, while Austrian direct investment in the country has exceeded $11 billion. Turkish investments in Austria, meanwhile, are approaching $1 billion, Erdoğan said.
“All these figures are the clearest indication of the potential between us,” he said.
Erdoğan proposed establishing an Economic and Trade Partnership Committee to replace the existing Joint Economic Commission mechanism, saying the new structure could help further develop the two countries’ longstanding economic relations.
He said Türkiye hopes to hold the committee’s first meeting before the end of the year.
Türkiye and Austria also have significant potential for cooperation in green energy, critical minerals, high technology, transportation and the defense industry, Erdoğan said.
He particularly highlighted opportunities for strategic cooperation aimed at strengthening the Middle Corridor, a key trade and transportation route connecting Asia and Europe.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with his French and German counterparts on Monday, days after Türkiye signed a trilateral defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Fidan spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
The ministers discussed regional developments during the calls, the sources said.
The talks came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7.
The trilateral agreement seeks to deepen defense cooperation between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and strengthen commitments to regional and global security, stability and burden-sharing.
The agreement has drawn attention as Ankara expands its defense partnerships and diplomatic engagement across the region.
Minister Fidan said Saturday that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is technically the same as Article 5 of the NATO treaty concerning collective defense.
He underlined that the agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan aims to contribute to lasting stability in the region.
“There is no common threat that we have put in writing,” Fidan noted, adding that the agreement does not target any country that does not attack its signatories.
Fidan described the signing of the agreement as a “historic day,” saying it represented one of the milestones that Türkiye had been pursuing for years under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership.
Fidan noted the agreement had received strong support, particularly from countries in the Islamic world, including countries that were not members but were almost as pleased with the agreement as if they themselves had joined it.
He said there were also supporters in the West who understood the substance of the initiative.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) filed two complaints on Monday challenging the result of the election for a new deputy mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, as well as the election process itself.
The district, a former AK Party stronghold, was lost to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2024 local elections. Mayor Sinem Dedetaş was arrested in July on corruption charges, triggering an election to choose an acting mayor. CHP candidate Sibel Tan Çetinkaya won the election, receiving 22 votes from municipal assembly members in the fourth round on Aug. 5. The AK Party, however, alleged irregularities in the voting process.
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse where they filed their complaints, AK Party Üsküdar District Chair Taha Sarıcaoğlu said they would also file a lawsuit at the administrative court seeking the annulment of the election and the municipal assembly’s decision, as well as a rerun of the election.
Sarıcaoğlu said the election should be regarded not only as a reflection of the political groups represented in the assembly but also of the will of the people of Üsküdar as expressed at the ballot box.
He said protecting the will of assembly members was a fundamental requirement of democracy, but alleged that incidents during the election process had cast a shadow over the free expression of that will. He said practices that raised questions about election security and the principle of a secret ballot had taken place in full public view.
He said six CHP assembly members voted in favor of Dündar Ziya Gültekin, the candidate of the People’s Alliance, comprising the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), in the third round, after which the election was interrupted in a manner contrary to the normal course of proceedings. He said their requests for the election to continue without an adjournment or interruption were not heeded.
Speaking about what happened during the break, Sarıcaoğlu said: “It was alleged that CHP assembly members were threatened in their group room by the provincial chairman of a party whose name is ‘New’ but whose practices and conduct are old, and that they were pressured to change their preferences in the final round.”
He was referring to Özgür Çelik of the New Party (YP), which was established last month by former CHP Chair Özgür Özel. Çelik, who was previously the CHP’s Istanbul provincial chairperson, joined the YP after leaving the CHP.
“Indeed, the picture changed after the break, and it became necessary to assess the change that occurred between the third and fourth rounds together with the allegations of threats, blackmail and pressure during the break,” Sarıcaoğlu said.
He also addressed disputes over the validity of some ballots in the fourth round, saying votes were deemed invalid based on different interpretations of letters and markings appearing on the ballots.
Saying that what happened in this round further deepened the controversy surrounding the election process, Sarıcaoğlu displayed the ballots in his possession and said: “The letter G on this ballot was interpreted as a 6,” referring to the initial of his candidate’s surname. “Another absurdity in legal terms, although it may sound somewhat comical, was that the letter Z was interpreted as a T and a 2. Another arbitrary action was to deem invalid a vote cast for our candidate, Dündar Ziya Gültekin, because of a line drawn to make the letter K more prominent.”
Sarıcaoğlu said Assembly Chair Ali Aral had said during the counting of the votes: “The votes got mixed up. I mixed up the votes. Which one was invalid?” He said the confusion over which ballots the votes and objections related to raised serious questions about the reliability of the election.
Sarıcaoğlu said the validity of votes should be assessed solely within the framework of the relevant regulations, noting that the ballots were not pre-printed and that assembly members had written the candidates’ names and surnames by hand.
“If it is clear from the name written which candidate was chosen, that vote is valid. The appearance of a letter, its curvature, rewriting it or its resemblance to a number cannot make that vote invalid,” Sarıcaoğlu said.
Sarıcaoğlu said the result of the fourth round was announced twice during the session, each time differently, and that a correction was subsequently announced. He claimed that the vote distribution in the corrected announcement also did not correspond with the situation recorded during the counting of the ballots.
Sarıcaoğlu said these incidents could also be seen in footage recorded inside the Üsküdar Municipality assembly chamber.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş met Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in Ankara on Monday, with talks focusing on strengthening bilateral and interparliamentary cooperation as well as regional and global developments.
Kurtulmuş received Stocker at Parliament in Ankara on Monday as part of the Austrian leader’s official visit to Türkiye.
During the meeting, Kurtulmuş and Stocker discussed bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on cooperation between the two countries’ parliaments, as well as regional and global developments.
The two officials also exchanged views on steps that could further strengthen ties between Türkiye and Austria.
Kurtulmuş thanked Stocker for his visit and expressed hope that the talks would contribute to further deepening Türkiye-Austria relations.
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