Corruption Probe Targets Istanbul's Opposition

A Turkish prosecutor has ordered the detention of 48 suspects, including the mayor of Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, amid a corruption investigation. The operation focuses on embezzlement and bribery charges. Bayrampasa Mayor Hasan Mutlu called the probe politically motivated as legal pressure on the CHP party mounts.

A sweeping corruption investigation has resulted in a Turkish prosecutor ordering the detention of 48 suspects. Among those targeted is the mayor of Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, reported state broadcaster TRT Haber on Saturday.

Authorities conducted pre-dawn raids across 72 locations, aiming to seize documents and detain individuals implicated in alleged embezzlement, bribery, and tender rigging schemes. Bayrampasa's Mayor Hasan Mutlu, a member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has described the probe as baseless and politically driven.

This development is part of a broader crackdown against the CHP and its municipalities, with hundreds of party members facing legal action. A forthcoming court ruling could see the removal of the CHP leader, highlighting tensions in Turkey's democratic framework.