Turkish authorities detain 109 in Izmir as part of corruption probe, Anadolu news says

 Turkish authorities detain 109 in Izmir as part of corruption probe, Anadolu news says

In a major development, Turkish authorities detained 109 people on Tuesday in the coastal city of Izmir as part of a widening corruption investigation. The arrests include senior members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the former mayor of Izmir, Tunc Soyer. This move is part of a larger crackdown that has been intensifying over recent months, initially centered around Istanbul but now extending to other cities. The investigation focuses on allegations of tender rigging, financial fraud, and irregularities in municipal contracts.

According to Anadolu, the state news agency, prosecutors issued a total of 157 arrest warrants, and police are still searching for 48 individuals who remain at large. The operation took place in the early morning, with raids targeting multiple locations linked to Izmir’s local government and affiliated contractors. The prosecutor’s office claims that subcontractor companies were involved in corrupt practices that led to substantial financial losses for the public.

CHP lawmaker Murat Bakan criticized the arrests, comparing them to similar operations in Istanbul, where key opposition figures were also detained. He suggested that the judiciary is being used as a political tool. This wave of arrests highlights the growing legal pressure on opposition-led municipalities as the government continues to assert control following recent electoral defeats in major cities.

See also: Three killed in Ukrainian drone attack on central Russia

The detentions in Izmir have sparked intense political backlash, particularly from the CHP, which views the arrests as part of a broader effort to undermine its influence ahead of future elections. CHP lawmaker Murat Bakan expressed alarm, stating that the country had woken up to “another dawn operation.” He claimed that the Turkish judiciary appears to be operating under political influence, aimed at suppressing dissent and neutralizing opposition leaders.

This recent wave of arrests echoes what took place in Istanbul earlier this year, where Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, one of President Erdogan’s strongest political opponents, was jailed pending trial on corruption charges he denies. His arrest triggered nationwide protests and caused a sharp decline in Turkish financial markets. Observers fear that this crackdown on opposition officials is less about rooting out corruption and more about consolidating power ahead of upcoming political contests.

The CHP has strongly denied all corruption allegations and maintains that these actions are part of a coordinated campaign to dismantle their local governance achievements. Human rights organizations and several Western governments have raised concerns about the impartiality of Turkey’s judiciary, warning that the increasing use of legal tools against political adversaries threatens democratic norms.

Meanwhile, the Turkish government insists that its judicial system operates independently and that these investigations are based solely on evidence. However, the timing and scope of the arrests continue to fuel speculation that Turkey’s legal institutions are being weaponized against opposition voices. The situation remains tense as the country watches to see how the remaining 48 suspects will be pursued and whether additional arrests are forthcoming.