Politics
Prosecutor suspended for leaking info to Istanbul mayor’s criminal gang
A prosecutor accused of alerting a criminal gang allegedly led by disgraced former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu before operations against the gang was suspended from duty, the Sabah newspaper reported on Monday.
The prosecutor, identified with her initials as S.Ç.S., met Mehmet Pehlivan, Imamoğlu’s lawyer, prior to the anti-corruption operation that led to the mayor’s arrest in March. The Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) launched an investigation into a suspected prosecutor who is also accused of hurling a threat at another prosecutor working on Imamoğlu’s case.
The indictment in the case against the Imamoğlu gang revealed that Pehlivan allegedly met with a “red-haired female prosecutor” in a hotel room before the corruption operation. Investigators later identified the woman as prosecutor S.Ç.S., who works at the Istanbul Courthouse. She is also accused of indirectly threatening one of the prosecutors handling the Imamoğlu case, reportedly warning, “These files are troublesome. Be careful. This could come back to you.”
The allegation first surfaced in statements by Servet Yıldırım, the former driver of businessperson Hüseyin Köksal, who is jailed and seeking leniency in the same case. Yıldırım, described in the indictment as the “keeper of Imamoğlu’s funds,” claimed the meeting took place at the Raffles Hotel in Zorlu Center, a location where the alleged organized crime leaders held private discussions.
Yıldırım said the secret meeting between Pehlivan and “a red-haired female prosecutor” lasted three to four hours in room 2604. He claimed it happened 10 to 15 days before the first operations targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) and was held as part of “defense planning for the gang.”
In his statement, Yıldırım recounted that while he was under house arrest after the operation, his brother, Güven Yıldırım, told him he had escorted the red-haired woman to the hotel room before the raid.
HSK appointed inspectors to investigate the claims. Hotel security footage, phone records, messages and communication logs were reviewed. Prosecutor S.Ç.S. was identified after Güven Yıldırım recognized her in a photograph. Cell-tower data also confirmed that both S.Ç.S. and Pehlivan were at the Raffles Hotel during the same time frame.
HTS records further indicated that the prosecutor and Pehlivan met on several other occasions – two to three hours at a time – at different locations before the operation. They also met in Istanbul’s posh Nişantaşı neighborhood the day after the raid and spent two hours together. Inspectors noted that S.Ç.S. frequently changed cell phones; she claimed she switched devices because they were not functioning properly.
The HSK took the prosecutor’s testimony as part of the investigation. She denied all allegations, saying she had visited the Zorlu complex several times but insisted witness statements were inaccurate. She has reportedly been suspended and reassigned to the Şanlıurfa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in southeastern Türkiye.
Imamoğlu, a popular figure in the corruption-tainted main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), faces a thick indictment into his wrongdoings. The details in the 3,809-page indictment unfolded last month. “The Imamoğlu Criminal Organization,” as prosecutors describe, dramatically boosted their fortune, prosecutors say.
Along with the mayor, his close associates at IBB thrived on bribes and converted them into tens of properties, from villas to valuable land in Türkiye’s financial hub.
Prosecutors accuse suspects of inflicting a “public expense loss” amounting to TL 161 billion ($3.8 billion) through bribes. A total of 402 suspects are indicted in the case, including 105 who were remanded in custody. Imamoğlu is among them.
The lengthy indictment, as reported by the Sabah newspaper, demonstrates that the criminal organization founded a “system” or some sort of bribery pool to share the illicit gains and, through intricate but shady practices, propelled their wealth.
The indictment seeks 2,430 years for Imamoğlu for a variety of criminal charges, including using public funds for a potential presidential bid.
The suspects face charges related to 143 separate criminal acts, including “establishing and leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “embezzlement,” “fraud against public institutions,” “money laundering,” “violations of the Tax Procedure Law,” “illegal data collection and dissemination,” “environmental pollution,” “public property damage” and “violations of the Forest and Mining Laws.”
The indictment named 99 individuals as members of the organization, with Imamoğlu identified as its founder and ringleader.
It said that 92 additional suspects were identified as members of the organization, while the remaining defendants were accused of committing crimes connected to the group’s activities.
The indictment alleges that Imamoğlu personally committed several crimes, including “forming a criminal organization,” “bribery” on 12 counts, “money laundering” on seven counts and “fraud against public institutions” on seven counts.
Although municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) were already under investigation and several mayors had been detained for corruption last year, the IBB has been under the spotlight, as its high-profile mayor was arrested in March, shortly before the CHP announced him as a future presidential candidate.
Businessman Aziz Ihsan Aktaş testified Monday in an Istanbul court that an alleged system of pressure and payments within the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) was designed in part to finance the political career of former Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu as the sprawling corruption trial involving 414 defendants continued.
Aktaş, who is being tried without detention, presented his defense at the 68th hearing of the case before Istanbul’s 33rd High Criminal Court. Fifty-three of the 414 defendants are currently in custody.
The case centers on prosecutors’ allegations of a criminal organization led by Imamoğlu. The defendants face various accusations of alleged corruption involving the municipality and its affiliates.
Aktaş told the court that he had been arrested as part of the investigation widely known as the Beşiktaş case before voluntarily applying to prosecutors in April 2025 to benefit from Türkiye’s effective repentance provisions. He said he made the decision without pressure or direction from others.
“The structure I encountered was established under the leadership of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu,” Aktaş said.
He claimed that requests for money attributed to Imamoğlu were conveyed through presidential advisers Ertan Yıldız and Ibrahim Bülbüllü, Istanbul lawmaker and former CHP Deputy Chair Özgür Karabat and other intermediaries.
Aktaş alleged that outstanding payments owed by municipal bodies were deliberately withheld to pressure businesses into making payments. Companies could also face threats of penalties, contract terminations or difficulties with zoning and licensing procedures if they refused the demands, he claimed.
“One of the most important fundamental purposes of the system was to finance Ekrem Imamoğlu’s political career,” Aktaş told the court.
Aktaş described what he alleged was a recurring method in which payments legitimately owed to contractors were delayed until businesspeople agreed to provide money demanded by people linked to the purported system.
He said the payments were not deposited into municipal or official donation accounts but were instead withdrawn in cash and delivered to intermediaries at locations including hotels and private offices.
“The people, dates and companies are different, but the method is the same,” he said.
Aktaş argued that the alleged operation could not be explained as the independent actions of a handful of lower-ranking municipal officials.
He further claimed that in one case a demand for money was explicitly conveyed to him as an “instruction from Ekrem Imamoğlu,” while in another he was allegedly warned that payments owed to his companies would be withheld.
Aktaş also referred to a meeting at the mayoral residence in Florya, where he said demands were communicated to companies by one of Imamoğlu’s advisers.
“These concrete repetitions lead to a clear conclusion,” Aktaş alleged. “Ekrem Imamoğlu used the office of mayor to collect money for the system.”
Aktaş also alleged that Karabat contacted him during the 2024 local election campaign and told him companies doing business with CHP-run municipalities in Istanbul were expected to provide money for the campaign.
According to Aktaş, Karabat told him during a meeting at a hotel in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district that he was required to pay TL 5 million (about $104,000), citing an instruction from Imamoğlu. Aktaş claimed he was warned that companies belonging to him and his relatives could otherwise face delays in receiving payments.
Aktaş said he ultimately arranged for the TL 5 million to be delivered to another defendant, Sırrı Küçük, through an intermediary.
He separately alleged that people acting through Ertan Yıldız and Burak Korzay demanded $970,000 while payments to companies owned by his brothers were being delayed.
Aktaş claimed he delivered the $970,000 to a hotel in Istanbul’s Kilyos district on Jan. 19, 2024, after being told outstanding payments could otherwise remain blocked.
Claims of TL 84.9 million
Aktaş also testified about a meeting involving companies carrying out maintenance and repair work for Istanbul’s public transportation authority, IETT.
He alleged that during a subsequent meeting at the mayoral residence in Florya, companies were told they could face difficulties in fulfilling their contracts and receiving payments if they rejected demands from the municipal administration.
According to Aktaş, businesses were asked to make payments totaling 10% of their contract values as progress payments were received.
He claimed that between 2020 and 2024, businesses associated with him made payments totaling TL 84.86 million ($1.77 million) under the alleged arrangement.
Aktaş said the episodes he described demonstrated what he characterized as a coordinated structure operating under Imamoğlu’s leadership, with different intermediaries but a consistent method of allegedly withholding legitimate payments to extract money from businesses.
Following Aktaş’s testimony, lawyers for Imamoğlu and other defendants questioned him about his allegations.
The court adjourned proceedings until Tuesday, Aug. 25, when it is expected to continue hearing defenses.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry condemned Thursday Israel’s latest strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur air base as part of “reckless attacks” undermining the country’s sovereignty and stability, while reaffirming Ankara’s support for Syria’s military capacity-building efforts.
The ministry made the statement after its weekly press briefing aboard the TCG Koçhisar in the northwestern province of Kocaeli as part of the TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland events.
It described the Israeli strike as an action aimed at damaging Syria’s stability, security, unity, territorial integrity and infrastructure.
“We emphasize at every opportunity that attacks violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are unacceptable,” the ministry said, calling on Israel to end what it described as “reckless attacks” and comply with international law.
Türkiye will continue supporting Syria’s efforts to rebuild its infrastructure and military capabilities under the principle of “one army,” the ministry added.
The strikes by Israeli warplanes targeted Tuesday the disused Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base, located in northeastern Syria’s Idlib. According to Syrian officials, Israeli aircraft launched eight separate strikes on the facility, damaging its runway and striking a derelict structure inside a hangar.
No casualties or injuries were immediately reported following the operation.
The ministry also stated that no Turkish military delegation was present at Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Air Base before or during a recent Israeli strike, in response to reporters’ questions.
The statement came as Türkiye has stepped up military diplomacy over regional security. Asked about a series of telephone calls held Wednesday by Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, the ministry said Türkiye had become a center for regional security diplomacy.
Both Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Bayraktaroğlu were holding talks with their counterparts aimed at promoting regional security and stability, it said.
Syria’s neighbors and regional partners also responded with sharp rebukes, calling on the global community to enforce international legal standards against unilateral military actions.
Israel threatens regional peace
Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk, the ministry’s spokesperson, also criticized Israel over its military operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Aktürk said Israel’s rejection of the Gaza plan and its continued attacks were undermining efforts to establish a just and lasting peace. He said Israel’s military interventions against neighboring countries should not be allowed to become viewed as normal or acceptable.
“The future of the region should be built not on the unilateral use of force, but on a security understanding based on international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries,” Aktürk said.
He called on the international community to take “more concrete and effective measures” in response to Israeli actions that Türkiye says threaten regional peace and stability.
The ministry separately addressed Greece’s Renewable Energy Sources Special Spatial Framework covering parts of the Aegean Sea, saying Ankara was closely monitoring the measure.
The framework has no legal consequences for Türkiye, including with regard to geographical formations whose sovereignty was not transferred to Greece under international treaties, the ministry noted.
Türkiye remains determined to protect its “rights, interests and concerns” in the Aegean in accordance with international law, it said, while adding that Ankara favors resolving disputes between the two neighboring countries through international law, equity and good-neighborly relations.
Aktürk also said Türkiye would continue efforts to strengthen its armed forces with domestically developed strategic and technological defense products.
Güler and the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) command staff were expected to attend the TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland event later Thursday.
Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s latest attacks on the Gaza Strip that killed civilians, including women and children, warning that the escalation risks undermining efforts to maintain the cease-fire and advance negotiations.
The three countries, which have served as mediators in efforts to end the conflict in Gaza, expressed “deep concern” over continuing Israeli violations.
In a joint statement, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar said the latest attacks came at a critical stage as intensive diplomatic efforts were underway to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.
The mediators said constructive steps had been taken in negotiations, including talks between the Board of Peace and Israeli officials, and warned that an intensification of Israeli attacks could derail regional and international efforts toward a lasting settlement.
“The mediator countries underscore that the intensification of Israeli attacks at this critical stage undermines regional and international efforts,” the statement said.
The three countries called on Israel to fully comply with all of its obligations under the cease-fire agreement and refrain from actions that could further weaken the truce or fuel another escalation.
Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar have played key roles in diplomatic efforts aimed at maintaining the Gaza cease-fire and advancing negotiations between the parties.
The mediators also called for greater international pressure to ensure compliance with the agreement amid concerns that renewed violence could jeopardize diplomatic efforts to stabilize Gaza.
Citing what they called the “devastating consequences” of continuing Israeli aggression across the region, the three countries renewed their appeal to the international community and the Board of Peace, led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
They called for necessary measures to ensure adherence to the cease-fire and prevent further escalation.
The statement also cited U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803, which backs the diplomatic framework for Gaza.
The latest appeal comes as mediators seek to preserve the cease-fire while pushing forward implementation of the broader plan to end the conflict and prevent renewed hostilities.
Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar reiterated that maintaining the cease-fire was essential to protecting diplomatic progress and preventing further civilian casualties and regional instability.
The death toll in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has climbed to 73,417, with another 10 Palestinians killed and 25 others wounded over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Thursday.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli on Friday strongly condemned Israel’s strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur military air base, calling it an “unacceptable attack” on international law, peace and regional stability, and warned Israel against provocations targeting Türkiye.
In a written statement, Bahçeli said the attack on the air base in the Idlib countryside, which targeted Syrian infrastructure and capabilities, constituted another violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Whether it is a manifestation of historical expansionism and disregard for the law or an attempt aimed at the approaching elections, what has been done is an unacceptable attack on law, peace and regional stability,” he said.
Bahçeli urged Israel to “refrain” from “provoking Türkiye,” testing Ankara’s patience or taking steps that could directly or indirectly interfere with Türkiye’s national security interests.
“Türkiye is not a country seeking conflict,” he remarked. “However, it is not a country that will ignore threats directed against it, stand by while its sovereign rights are violated or leave its national security at the mercy of others.”
The MHP leader said Ankara was closely monitoring Israeli actions in Syria that intersect with Türkiye’s security interests, as well as efforts to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean and policies he said encouraged regional fragmentation.
He stressed that Türkiye did not seek war with Israel or any other country, but warned that its preference for diplomacy and restraint should not be interpreted as weakness or a lack of deterrence.
Bahçeli also rejected any attempt to establish permanent areas of occupation in Syria, alter de facto borders, expand buffer zones or exploit ethnic and sectarian groups for geopolitical purposes.
Such steps would be “unacceptable for Türkiye,” he said.
Proposal for regional security
Bahçeli outlined a seven-point proposal aimed at establishing a broader regional security architecture and achieving lasting peace.
He called for expanding security cooperation under the Mecca Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and proposed developing it into what he described as an “Islamic Peace Force” encompassing countries and regions facing Israeli attacks.
Bahçeli also proposed establishing a temporary Middle East Peace Coalition or Council consisting of the United States, Russia, China and the European Union to help restore regional stability.
Under another proposal, he called for a Middle East Security and Peace Conference to be convened at Türkiye’s initiative under United Nations auspices. The conference, he said, should develop a road map for a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and wider regional stability.
Bahçeli also proposed an “Ankara Declaration” setting out principles guiding Türkiye’s approach to regional security and making clear that Ankara would respond to any potential Israeli attack.
His proposals further included establishing a neutral International Cease-Fire Monitoring Mission under the U.N. to document violations, oversee the security of humanitarian corridors and monitor the protection of civilians.
He also called for an International Mediation Contact Group to institutionalize multilateral diplomatic efforts and ensure continuity in negotiations.
His final proposal envisaged “gradual diplomatic pressure and incentive mechanism” combining political and economic pressure with military deterrence, while offering diplomatic and economic incentives if Israel complied with international law, ended settlement expansion and returned to negotiations.
Bahçeli reiterated his support for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, saying such a state remained essential for lasting peace.
“Türkiye is not an actor that will go from door to door in the face of attacks on its sovereign rights,” Bahçeli said, warning that Israel should take Ankara’s warnings seriously.
Police on Monday detained two fugitives wanted as part of an investigation into the alleged Alihan Kuriş criminal organization as they were preparing to flee the country, authorities said, as a separate branch of the widening probe revisited the suspicious 2016 death of former religious community leader Ahmet Arif Denizolgun.
Hilmi Tuna Kuriş and Erhan Yılmaz, who were wanted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, were located in the Bozburun area of the southwestern resort town of Marmaris, according to information obtained from security sources.
Police determined that the two suspects were allegedly planning to leave Türkiye by sea. Acting on intelligence provided by Istanbul police, officers in Muğla raided the address and detained the suspects on accusations of membership in a criminal organization.
Police seized 58,000 euros (nearly $68,000) during a search of their vehicle.
Authorities had previously seized 206 kilograms of gold and a large amount of foreign currency during a search of a warehouse at a business center housing a company where Hilmi Tuna Kuriş had served for years as a board member.
The Ankara prosecutors’ investigation led to simultaneous operations across 17 provinces on Aug. 13. Thirty of 49 suspects were detained, including alleged organization leader Alihan Kuriş, who was later arrested along with several other suspects.
The suspects face accusations including establishing and leading a criminal organization, membership in a criminal organization, laundering proceeds of crime, fraud against public institutions and violations of Türkiye’s tax laws.
Alihan Kuriş, the de facto leader of a group known publicly as “Süleymancılar,” was arrested last week along with other suspects.
The group originated as a religious movement named after 20th-century Islamic scholar Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan, Kuriş’ great-grandfather.
Initially operating through informal religious instruction in homes and mosques, the group later expanded across Türkiye through Quran courses and student dormitories, largely financed by membership contributions and donations. Over time, its activities expanded into commercial sectors including food, health care, tourism, textiles, construction and real estate.
2016 death reexamined
Meanwhile, prosecutors have reopened an investigation into the 2016 death of Ahmet Arif Denizolgun, a former leader of the Süleymancılar religious community and former Transport Minister, as part of the broader investigation surrounding Kuriş.
The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said it had ordered Denizolgun’s body exhumed to allow forensic experts to reassess his cause of death following allegations questioning both his death and the original autopsy.
The case was transferred from prosecutors in Beykoz to Bakırköy as part of the investigation.
Investigators are also examining witness testimony concerning the circumstances surrounding Denizolgun’s death and records from the original forensic examination.
Prosecutors sought information from the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) this year about photographs and video recordings from the 2016 autopsy. The institute ultimately informed prosecutors in July that no video recording of Denizolgun’s autopsy existed, according to correspondence cited in the investigation.
The probe is also examining claims concerning the original autopsy and toxicology findings. Investigators are expected to use the new forensic examination following the exhumation to determine whether previously identified substances have any relevance to Denizolgun’s cause of death.
Eleven Muslim and Arab nations on Friday strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes targeting the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northwestern Syria, warning that the attacks mark a dangerous escalation that threatens regional stability and violates Syria’s sovereignty.
In a joint statement issued Aug. 21, the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Algeria, Indonesia, Palestine, Qatar, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Somalia and Saudi Arabia denounced the strikes as a clear violation of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The ministers voiced deep concern over Israel’s continued targeting and destruction of Syrian territory and infrastructure.
They warned that such attacks risk undermining Syria’s ongoing efforts to restore security, rebuild national institutions and address the humanitarian consequences of years of conflict.
The statement also cautioned that continued Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity could fuel further escalation, destabilize regional peace and security and erode respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
The foreign ministers called on the international community to take a firm, clear and principled stance against the continuing attacks on Syria and take concrete action in accordance with international law and the U.N. Charter.
They also urged steps to end the violations, ensure full compliance with the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories they occupy, saying such measures are necessary to prevent further escalation and safeguard regional peace and stability.
The ministers reaffirmed their support for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and political unity, while rejecting any attempt to undermine them.
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