Politics
Terror-free Türkiye committee convenes for first time
Speaking at the first meeting of a parliamentary committee on the terror-free Türkiye initiative in Ankara on Tuesday, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Türkiye was at a turning point, a vital moment to shape the country’s future.
The committee, comprised of 48 lawmakers from most parties represented at Parliament, will weigh how the initiative will proceed, especially in terms of laws and regulations regarding the status of the PKK terrorist group and its members. This may include lenient sentences for surrendering members of the group.
Parliamentarians from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the New Path bloc, the Türkiye Labor Party (TIP), the Labor Party (EMEP), the New Welfare Party (YRP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) and the Democrat Party (DP) attended the inaugural meeting of the committee, which was expected to define working methods of the group.
Although Parliament is in summer recess, the committee will continue to work without interruption. Kurtulmuş will serve as chairperson but is not eligible to vote in the committee’s voting processes. AK Party’s committee members include former Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül. CHP’s committee members will consist of Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Murat Emir, Deputy Chairs Gökçe Gökçen and Murat Bakan, and lawmakers from Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Ankara and Muğla. Among them are Türkan Elçi, the widow of Diyarbakır Bar Association’s former Chair Tahir Elçi, who died in 2015 in crossfire during a shootout between police officers and PKK members, and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a prominent parliamentarian who has often made headlines for his heavy criticism of counterterrorism efforts.
The committee will not directly propose bills but will likely refer its reports to other subcommittees of Parliament, which will then discuss and vote on bills for their referral to the Parliament’s General Assembly. The General Assembly is the ultimate authority in Parliament to pass laws. Throughout its tenure, the committee will also hear statements of actors involved or affected by the initiative, from the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), which monitors the PKK’s disarmament, to families of terror victims. The committee is expected to recommend amendments in counterterrorism laws and the Turkish Penal Code to accommodate the needs of the initiative, especially in terms of the state of people convicted of terrorism or aiding and abetting the PKK.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative launched by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli had its first tangible progress in February when the PKK’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, accepted Bahçeli’s call and urged the group to lay down its weapons. In May, the PKK announced it would dissolve itself. Last month, some 30 PKK members, including a senior leader, burned their weapons in a ceremony in northern Iraq. Although symbolic, the gesture marked the first time that the group has laid down arms in its campaign of violence for more than four decades. The PKK has previously announced so-called unilateral truces but has never entirely given up its ambitions.
The initiative was preceded by calls from Bahçeli and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to “reinforce the home front at a time of regional tensions and Israel’s expansionism.” Elimination of the PKK threat will bolster Türkiye’s role as a regional power and reinforce its economy by reducing defense expenditures utilized to fight the PKK for decades. More importantly, it will be a key stage in putting the so-called “Kurdish question” to rest. Since its foundation and first attacks in the 1980s, the PKK has exploited the Kurdish community, claiming to fight for their right to self-determination. State policies simply ignoring Kurds’ rights, such as education in Kurdish, further fueled the PKK’s violent campaign. The state stepped up counterterrorism efforts in the 1990s, but most of them backfired as controversial abductions and killings of people in the southeast, where the PKK was most active, played into the hands of the PKK’s propaganda of oppression of Kurds by the state.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reached out to the Kurdish community by launching a “reconciliation process” in the 2010s, to reinstate the rights of the community so the PKK would not have room for exploitation. The process succeeded to some extent with the PKK declaring a so-called truce, but soon, Türkiye had to revert to hawkish security policies when the PKK resumed its attacks after a brief lull. Subsequently, Türkiye managed to limit the group’s presence in Iraq and Syria and the group has been unable to launch major attacks as it did in the past, thanks to the crackdown.
Kurtulmuş said in his speech on Tuesday that the committee would serve as a proxy of the nation to resolve the problems. “It is a reflection of a will to provide a new insight into an issue that sucked out the energy of this country for decades and was provoked by those seeking to sow discord. What matters most here is not making it history and solving all problems at once. It is about reminding people that Parliament is the voice of the people, a bearer of social peace, an insurer of brotherhood and a legitimate platform for finding solutions. It is about moving forward with courage, conscience, and justice, rather than political calculations and a narrow mindset. This process that began with the dissolution of the terrorist group is a matter for our revered nation directly, rather than a matter for a political structure,” he said.
“We are here to turn common suffering into a common hope. This significant problem, which had persisted for years, compelled politics and the state to act out of a security reflex. But it is high time to discuss freedom, equality and justice in addition to security. This is another mission of the committee. Every step we take should reinforce our brotherhood and peace in these ancient lands. In this context, terror-free Türkiye, as a matter of fact, means a terror-free region,” he said. He underlined the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood dating back to the Seljuks, adding that they have to be inspired by their wisdom.
End of darkness
“A dark period blocking the path to the future is being left behind with the resolve of our nation and state. We are not drafting a new constitution here, but we will have our say on brotherhood and unity. The Parliament will remind people of a brotherhood of a thousand years,” he said. Kurtulmuş also underlined that the initiative was not the result of a bargain with the PKK. “It is a reflection of the determination of our nation to achieve unity,” he said.
“The scourge of terrorism occupied Türkiye for a long time. If we could have devoted our expenditures (to fight the PKK) elsewhere, we would have had many universities, hospitals and schools earlier. We would have a better education. We would have reached the point Türkiye is now far earlier. We would have had defense technologies, locally made helicopters, satellites we take pride in producing on our own far earlier,” he said.
Kurtulmuş also vowed that the committee would be loyal to the legacy of “all the heroes who defended the homeland at the cost of their lives,” referring to police officers, soldiers and civilians killed by the PKK. He said that one of the most important tasks for the committee was to monitor the disarmament process, and the process should be monitored and directed cautiously “through a legal framework and on a social basis.”
“It is important to manage social mindset properly. A rhetoric failing to protect the dignity of Kurds and ignoring the pride of Turks would not lead to peace,” he said.
In a written statement on Monday, Bahçeli said there was “no place or time for skepticism.”
“(Türkiye) is going through historic developments in a terror-free initiative. Efforts to thwart it, the pursuit of sabotage in advance of the committee’s work is a campaign aimed at undermining the initiative. I am fully confident that parties contributing to the committee will resist this sinister, dirty campaign,” he said.
Bahçeli said that politics had a successful record and the skills to counter developments overshadowing the process, guided by morals and sanity, and to avoid the dead ends created by the conjuncture. He emphasized that the experience demonstrated that countries without a culture of troubleshooting often fail to distance themselves from being drawn into crisis-oriented contradictions. He added that the Turkish nation has proven, especially in recent years, its ability to confront chronic and severe issues with courage and resilience.
He said Türkiye had a clear path ahead regardless of “dark propaganda.” “This flag raised once will not go down, will not be overshadowed. The Nationalist Movement Party and People’s Alliance promise it. The existence of any influential force that will stop or hinder Türkiye from being cleared of terrorism is just a dream now. The siege is over, and the regional, global conspiracy has been countered. Terror-free Türkiye is a strong Türkiye that has renewed its national unity and brotherhood,” Bahçeli stated.
The MHP leader acknowledged the existence of “those who struggled to adapt to the new normal.”
“Within this context, some cheap and absurd accusations circulating are not so much about adaptation problems but rather about the multifaceted destruction, restriction and damage to a historic opportunity that has been seized. Those who see a Türkiye free of terrorism as contrary to their political and ideological interests are eager to stir up storms in a teacup. Their growing demands and appetites have recently intensified and become widespread,” he said about critics of the initiative.
“Narrow-minded individuals who thrive on the status quo, dependent factions longing for tutelage, so-called nationalists with unclear loyalties, vile circles investing in lies and gossip, and collaborators eager to serve imperialism and Zionism have collectively united to undermine and damage the vision of a terror-free Türkiye. Those who cannot comprehend, let alone articulate, the complex web of regional dynamics and global equations – issues that have grown increasingly serious and multifaceted – naturally lack the will and their claims are meaningless,” he said.
Commenting on the Good Party’s (IP) refusal to join the committee, Bahçeli said: “The baseless, unjust and shameless criticisms by irresponsible people are unserious and worthless statements,” he said.
The IP joined forces with the Victory Party (ZP) to oppose the initiative, and both parties were founded and populated by former members of the MHP. “Those who once sought to poison and chain the MHP by wearing every mask, plotting every trap, seeking help from anyone and joining disgraceful alliances must especially know that betrayal is inherent in their persons and politics,” Bahçeli said.
Bahçeli emphasized that the CHP’s decision to provide members to the commission starting work in Parliament is a valuable step and added, “Insisting on preconditions that would derail the process is just as meaningless and illogical,” referring to the party’s set of conditions prior to joining the committee, especially for the release of politicians linked to the PKK convicted of terror charges.
“Türkiye will permanently overcome the scourge of terrorism. Taking a supportive and appropriate stance – one that facilitates rather than complicates, embraces the dignity and sentiments of our nation rather than avoiding compromise – is undoubtedly a great need for constructive and supportive political posture,” Bahçeli stated.
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız, a member of the committee, told the first meeting that the new initiative was not a new version of the reconciliation process. “It will not be repeated and revived,” Yıldız said. “We have a great opportunity and we should not squander it. We have to try to understand each other instead of attacking the reputation of each other. We need a stance that is not hostile to other political parties,” Yıldız said.
The Istanbul lawmaker for MHP stated that the committee had a responsibility toward innocent people who paid a heavy price due to terrorism, “from our troops and police to teachers, all martyrs and veterans.” Yıldız said Türkiye has been very successful in maintaining the process as political parties did not seek assistance from elsewhere, “in the Middle East, where all kinds of intrigue are taking place.”
The DEM Party’s deputy parliamentary group chair, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, told the meeting that they were aware of the “historic responsibility” at the committee and pledged that they would be constructive and solution-oriented. “All citizens of Türkiye need a new beginning,” the DEM Party lawmaker Meral Danış Beştaş told the meeting.
Damaged vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla are being repaired in Türkiye’s Antalya after an Israeli attack in international waters, with volunteers working to prepare the ships for another voyage toward Gaza.
Some of the vessels were left with damaged engines, broken masts and torn sails after the attack. They were later brought to Antalya, where local and international volunteers are carrying out repairs at a shipyard.
Two vessels have already been repaired and sent to Italy as part of preparations for another Gaza-bound mission, said Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, a board member of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We are trying to recover the ships drifting at sea one by one. We are carrying out a rescue mission,” Ordu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We are repairing these ships so they can sail to Gaza again.”
Fourteen flotilla vessels are currently in Antalya, Ordu said, adding that volunteers from different countries were helping coordinate and repair the ships.
She said each vessel had a special significance for the activists and that they were treating the ships “like their own children” as they worked to restore them.
The damage was extensive, Ordu said, describing broken masts, damaged engines and cut hoses. She also said the sails had been torn with knives.
“The mast was broken, surface cleaner and coffee had been poured into the engines, and the hoses on each ship had been cut one by one,” she said. “They caused this damage by ramming them with larger ships.”
The repairs have been difficult because of the extent of the damage, but volunteers have continued working, Ordu said.
Türkiye has provided a safe port for the repair effort, she added.
Ordu said the activists remained determined to continue their efforts despite the damage to the vessels.
“If the enemy does not give up, we cannot give up,” she said. “We are trying to be a voice here for our Palestinian friends.”
She said the damage to the vessels showed what she described as the violence and hostility directed at the flotilla.
“We, too, insist on continuing every form of resistance,” Ordu said.
Türkiye condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the Saudi city of Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia amid renewed regional tensions.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), condemned the attack on Friday, saying targeting infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque was unacceptable.
“Attacks targeting our sacred values are illegitimate acts directed against all Muslims,” Çelik said in a social media post, adding that Türkiye strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, saying strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and threatening Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security should “cease immediately and unconditionally.”
The ministry reiterated Türkiye’s support for Saudi Arabia and called on parties to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the region.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Friday separately condemned the strike and said Türkiye would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage indicated Houthi involvement in the Sept. 29 attack.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
Earlier on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, will soon be handed over to Iraqi authorities while Turkish troops are expected to withdraw from the country. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signals the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye. The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed earlier this month to deepen security cooperation, restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and begin the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Baghdad under an agreed timetable.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry said Türkiye welcomed steps to ensure state authority in Sinjar. The base was set up in 2015 to help Iraq fight against Daesh and later maintained its presence when the terrorist group PKK sought to replace Daesh following the liberation of Sinjar.
“These steps will contribute to normalization of the region, establishing an environment of security and stability and a terror-free region,” the ministry said, using an expression referring to Ankara’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims to disarm the PKK.
The statement also said it was decided to gradually hand over the compound to the central government in Baghdad, “based on improvement of security in Sinjar.”
“Our country, as it did in the past, stands with our neighbor Iraq in terms of maintaining an environment of security and stability. Throughout future contacts, we are planning to take steps that will further advance military and security cooperation. We will continue supporting Iraq’s armed forces in increasing military capacity, sharing know-how in counterterrorism and in the fields of military training and defense industry cooperation, based on bilateral agreements,” the ministry stated.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and a security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), noted that Türkiye’s withdrawal was linked to ending the PKK’s presence in Sinjar and the re-establishment of Baghdad’s authority there.
Sarı told Daily Sabah that Türkiye has been in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defense under international law, particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense against armed attacks. “Türkiye’s presence in Iraq has been due to the PKK threat in the north. (The dissolution) of the PKK will remove the need to remain in Iraq,” Sarı said.
He noted that the PKK and other terrorist groups had, for years, filled the power vacuum that emerged in Iraq’s northern region following the beginning of the Iraq War.
“Iraq’s central government claims it can find a solution to this vacuum through recent steps and establish full authority within its borders after the U.S. withdrawal,” Sarı said.
A U.S.-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago against Daesh formally concluded its mission on Wednesday. Daesh was largely expelled from Iraq and Syria, also thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations in Assad-era Syria, but U.S. forces remained. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement two years ago to wind down the mission.
Sarı said it was only natural that Türkiye was supportive of Iraq’s steps to ensure security on its own, since Ankara was committed to developing good relations with its neighbors and centered its foreign policy on peace and stability.
“As it did in Syria, Türkiye sides with central authority, stability and security in Iraq. Türkiye will support this move and will do whatever it can to ensure that this mission succeeds in maintaining stability and security, based on its neighborly relations,” he said.
Sarı added that Iraq’s efforts were compatible with Türkiye’s foreign policy and plans. “Iraq’s success will also mean the complete expulsion of the PKK from that country. This expulsion, removal of this malignant tumor between Türkiye and Iraq, will certainly add momentum to Turkish-Iraqi relations,” he also stated.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed a law passed by Parliament on terror-free Türkiye, which involves the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“Consensus on a terror-free Türkiye has upset the country’s foes. (Terror-free Türkiye) is already having a deterrent effect on Türkiye’s foes and is empowering the country,” Erdoğan said.
The president also urged other political parties to strengthen the “home front” amid regional tensions and reach a “grand Türkiye consensus.”
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved by Parliament in August following months of political consultations over the government’s terror-free Türkiye initiative. The 12-article legislation received broad parliamentary backing, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining. It mainly involves deferral of sentences and prosecution, as part of the initiative that paved the way for the dissolution of the PKK.
For decades, the PKK remained the main security threat for Türkiye, and its violent campaign is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and immense economic losses, especially in southeastern Türkiye. Apart from small nationalist parties, almost all political parties openly supported the initiative, something rare in polarized Turkish politics.
“The era of opposition solely based on opposing what the government did is over. It is a grave mistake to reduce politics to antagonizing the rivals, to a war of attrition, instead of making it a race in offering the best public services. Regional and global developments require us to pursue a new style of politics,” Erdoğan told Parliament amid constant applause from lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The main opposition New Party (YP) left Parliament’s general assembly hall as Erdoğan took the floor.
“We have two options now: We will either continue with the old way of politics focusing on polarization, or we will build new politics based on finding common ground, finding consensus amid competition,” he said.
“If we are meant to make Türkiye great and strong again, if we are meant to utilize historic opportunities, we have to adapt to this paradigm shift altogether and without losing more time,” he said.
The president said they did not expect all political parties to fully align or have the same opinion.
“Different views are certainly the wealth of Türkiye, Turkish democracy. But all political parties should prioritize Türkiye. Every party should draw power from its own dynamics, its grassroots, to carry out ‘Türkiye-oriented politics,'” Erdoğan said.
“Reconciliation and tolerance should replace conflict and polarization. We have to find common ground on matters essential for every member of our nation. This is what we call the ‘grand Türkiye consensus,'” Erdoğan added.
New constitution
The president also focused on drafting a new constitution. “The goal of a new and civilian constitution is a struggle for Turkish democracy to prove its maturity. Our esteemed Parliament is competent and authorized to draft a constitution under all circumstances and in every period. A new constitution that will broaden Türkiye’s horizons will be the product not of a politics of polarization, but of a new politics based on competition within consensus. Our nation’s longing for a new constitution must not be held hostage by manufactured fears. Our position regarding the first four articles of the Constitution currently in force is clear. Rolling up our sleeves for a new and civilian constitution worthy of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ is a genuine test of sincerity for everyone. I hope the current legislative year will be a year of constitutional reform that expands Türkiye’s opportunities and potential,” he said.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades, most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new, civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Türkiye condemned Thursday a drone attack by Houthis on a power station in the Muslim holy city of Medina, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Thursday that an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday’s attack.
“We strongly condemn the Houthis’ attack on civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The organization affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory, security and stability, defend Islamic holy sites and safeguard citizens and residents.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.”
The Saudi-led coalition said the Medina attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and “provoke” Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.
Houthis denied the accusation.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to push back the Houthis.
Turkish authorities detained Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen and 27 other suspects earlier Friday as part of a corruption investigation involving the Istanbul district municipality, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said detention orders were issued for 28 suspects over allegations including membership in a criminal organization, receiving and giving bribes and bid rigging.
All 28 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations carried out by financial crimes police, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities also conducted searches and seizures at addresses linked to the suspects and searched the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Eyüpsultan Municipality building.
Prosecutors said the investigation was being conducted in coordination with the Ankara Police Department’s Financial Crimes Investigation Branch.
“The investigation continues in a comprehensive and meticulous manner,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Özmen, who serves as mayor of Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district, was among those taken into custody.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has ruled on the allegations against the suspects.
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