Opposition Mayor of İstanbul’s Beşiktaş arrested, sparking political tensions

The mayor of Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district, Rıza Akpolat from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has been arrested and suspended from his duties, marking a significant escalation in Türkiye’s political tensions.

The Ministry of Interior announced Akpolat’s suspension from his position as a “temporary measure” following his arrest on charges of “membership in a criminal organization,” “bid rigging,” and “unjust acquisition of property.”

Akpolat was detained for four days before being arrested on Jan. 16 along with 22 other suspects, including Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is alleged to be the leader of the criminal organization, Deputy Mayor Alican Abacı, and Önder Gedik, the head of the municipal company BELTAŞ. Seventeen additional suspects were released under judicial control measures.

The Beşiktaş Municipal Council is scheduled to elect an acting mayor on January 23.

Opposition: “It is a declaration of war”

The arrest has triggered a fierce political debate, with CHP leader Özgür Özel characterizing it as a “declaration of war.”

After visiting Akpolat at Paşakapısı Prison, Özel delivered a strong rebuke of the judicial process, stating, “We respect all political parties and their voters. But how can we respect this mentality that applies enemy law? We can no longer guarantee what comes next. We are a side against whom war has been declared, and we will respond accordingly.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the AKP’s 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Konya, responded forcefully to the opposition’s reactions.

“There are bigger turnips in the saddlebag,” Erdoğan warned, using a Turkish idiom suggesting more revelations to come.

“Neither you nor anyone else has the right to disregard the law. Whether you like it or not, the law will function, and you will respect it,” he said.

Third CHP Mayor to be arrested

The case has broader implications for Turkish local politics, as Akpolat becomes the third CHP mayor to be arrested, following the arrests of Kepez Mayor Mesut Kocagöz (who was later released) and Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who remains in custody.

According to Özel’s account of his prison visit, Akpolat maintained his innocence and expressed concern about the continuation of municipal services.

“He sent his first greetings to the people of Beşiktaş,” Özel reported.

“He’s particularly concerned about the 7,000 people who benefit from our soup kitchens, public markets, and public assistance cards.”

The arrest has raised questions about the legal process.

Özel highlighted that Akpolat reportedly met his alleged co-conspirators for the first time in detention, stating, “There are no phone calls, no meetings, no base station records, no eyewitnesses… nothing.”

Erdoğan accuses opposition

President Erdoğan, however, dismissed the opposition’s complaints, accusing them of being consumed by internal power struggles.

“By threatening prosecutors, wagging fingers at the judiciary, trying to prevent courts from doing their duty, and putting pressure on judicial members, you cannot achieve any results,” he said.

The case continues to unfold against the backdrop of increasing political tensions in Türkiye, with both sides hardening their positions.

CHP leader Özel has promised a strong response, stating, “From now on, let those who do evil be afraid,” while President Erdoğan warned that “in a few years, they won’t even be able to show their faces to the public.”