Beşiktaş mayor rejects claims during 2nd week of bid-rigging trials

ISTANBUL

Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat on Feb. 4 rejected corruption allegations as an Istanbul court entered the second week of hearings in a bribery and bid-rigging case involving seven mayors from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

The case centers on claims that businessman Aziz İhsan Aktaş, identified by prosecutors as the leader of a criminal network, secured public tenders from municipalities through bribery, bid rigging and collusion involving companies allegedly linked to him.

Although Aktaş initially denied all accusations in his first testimony, he later sought to benefit from effective remorse provisions, making a series of statements implicating multiple officials.

Seven CHP mayors attended the hearing, including Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Beşiktaş Mayor Akpolat.

Akpolat, a CHP stronghold mayor who has been arrested since January 2025, testified before the judges on Feb. 4.

Addressing the court, he said, “I am a mayor who was elected by the will of the people of Beşiktaş for two consecutive terms, each time with record-breaking votes.”

“Yet today, I stand before you not as a politician representing that will, but as a citizen who has been deprived of his freedom for more than a year.”

Akpolat argued that the charges against him were politically motivated and categorically denied all allegations.

With a total of 200 defendants, the initial round of hearings is expected to last several weeks. By the sixth day of proceedings, statements were completed for only 28 defendants.

The hearing was held at the prison complex in Silivri, where extensive security measures were put in place.