Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli called for a probe into whether a new “parallel” structure has infiltrated the bureaucracy, ahead of criticisms of the judiciary. In comments about juvenile offenders, he recalled how the Gülen Terrorist Organization had established parallel networks within the government to cause chaos.
Authorities seized Habertürk, Show TV and Bloomberg HT, along with 121 other companies tied to Can Holding, after the Küçükçekmece Chief Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for eight people, including owners Mehmet Şakir Can, Kemal Can, and Chairman of the Board Kenan Tekdağ. The suspects face charges of forming a criminal organization, smuggling, fraud, and money laundering.
Akın Gürlek, Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor known for ordering probes and detentions against the opposition CHP, spoke on camera for the first time at the opening of the new judicial year. He said indictments related to the Istanbul Municipality would be ready in September and October.
The detention of two lawyers in the same Istanbul Municipality corruption file has highlighted different approaches within the judiciary.
The corruption probe into Istanbul and other CHP-run municipalities has taken a new turn, extending beyond politicians, lawyers, mobsters, and journalists to include a hitman. The alleged hitman is said to have acted on the instructions of Selahattin Yılmaz, a figure backed by MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli. The latest detentions targeted several lawyers and legal experts, whose ultra-luxurious offices and lavish lifestyles raised questions, with images suggesting close links to the government.
Pro-government journalist Cem Küçük, known for his close ties with Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek and for publicizing details of probes into the CHP-run municipalities, admitted to carrying out his “duty” in the ongoing investigations.
Istanbul’s Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney has become the 16th CHP mayor sent to prison as part of a widening corruption probe targeting opposition-run municipalities.
Pointing to the long-continued pre-trial detentions over the Istanbul Municipality probe, MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli said that investigations into the Istanbul Municipality must be completed quickly to end speculation about bias in the judiciary.
Since Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s detention on March 19, the CHP has held 40 rallies despite no upcoming elections, yet failed to shift the political agenda. The party opened İmamoğlu’s first campaign office in its Çankaya stronghold in Ankara, only to see its provincial chair dismissed days later. Though operations against Istanbul Municipality slowed, confessions from businessperson Aziz İhsan Aktaş continue to dominate headlines. A fresh wave of arrests targeted subsidiaries ISFALT and IETT, as well as tender officials.
A university diploma is more than just a piece of paper. It’s a ticket to professional success and social prestige. But in Turkey in recent years, it has also become an object of national obsession, political ammunition, and judicial entanglement. Take, for instance, the latest storm swirling around Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. In February 2025, he found himself under investigation for allegedly forging his university diploma—a charge that could have significant political consequences. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched the probe following a report from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) questioning the legitimacy of his academic credentials.