Another investigation has been opened into Turkey’s main opposition leader and Republican People’s Party (CHP) chairman Özgür Özel for comments made towards Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek at a rally in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district. The investigation accuses Özel of ‘insulting and threatening a public official’, similar to an earlier investigation opened into the CHP leader in June.
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Authorities said the probe was opened on charges of “insulting a public official” and “making threats.” It follows an earlier case against Özel in which he was accused of threatening Gürlek and insulting him in connection with judicial proceedings.
Gürlek is a high-profile figure in Turkey’s judiciary. He is widely seen by government critics as close to the ruling AK Party, and has presided over controversial trials against opposition politicians and journalists in the past. This marks the second time in two months that prosecutors have brought charges against Özel for the same reason.
What Özel said
The dispute stems from a speech Özel gave in Istanbul last night, during the 50th rally of his party’s “The People Defend Their Will” campaign – a series of weekly rallies held since the detention and the subsequent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Addressing Gürlek directly, Özel accused the prosecutor of trying to “manufacture crimes” against opposition mayors by reopening previously audited municipal files.
“Municipalities are already inspected by the Court of Accounts and Interior Ministry auditors,” Özel told supporters. “If there’s wrongdoing, it’s reported to the prosecutor’s office. But Gürlek takes old files that have already been checked and tries to invent crimes. If you’re really looking for corruption, the police and prosecutors already have the documents from the former AK Party-run municipalities. Go and knock on their doors if you dare.”
He escalated his remarks while condemning the pre-trial detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, contrasting it with the lighter treatment of another lawyer caught in a separate corruption probe. “If you had any integrity, you’d explain why you acted this way. I will hold you accountable, Akın Gürlek,” Özel said.
Beyoğlu municipality documents
Earlier this month, the CHP’s Beyoğlu district mayor İnan Güney, elected in March 2024, was detained on charges of ‘entering a criminal organization with the goal of committing crimes’ and ‘harming public institutions through fraud’. In late August following Güney’s arrest, a temporary replacement from the CHP was appointed in his place.
In a police raid of the Beyoğlu municipal building following Güney’s arrest, officials allegedly uncovered evidence of irregularities in awarding of past tender contracts during the pre-2024 era in which the municipality was controlled by the AKP.
Medyascope'u destekle. Medyascope'a abone ol.
Medyascope’u senin desteğin ayakta tutuyor. Hiçbir patronun, siyasi çıkarın güdümünde değiliz; hangi haberi yapacağımıza biz karar veriyoruz. Tıklanma uğruna değil, kamu yararına çalışıyoruz. Bağımsız gazeteciliğin sürmesi, sitenin açık kalması ve herkesin doğru bilgiye erişebilmesi senin desteğinle mümkün.
In a statement, prosecutors said the documents were unrelated to Güney’s current case and would instead be examined under a new file.
Allegations of past irregularities
Özel had already drawn attention to the documents during a rally in Beyoğlu. He compared contract prices under the former AK Party administration with those awarded under Güney, arguing that costs had been inflated many times over in the past.
“For example, the façade cladding project that used to cost 550 lira per square meter now costs 72 lira. Event banners once billed at 600 lira each are now only 90 lira. Corporate communication services that were 11.5 million lira are now 1.5 million,” Özel said.
“These files show what really went on,” he continued. “If Gürlek wants to fight corruption, he should start with the previous AK Party mayor’s office instead of chasing after fabricated charges against opposition municipalities.”
