Prosecutors have sought a prison sentence of up to 402 years for suspended Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey on charges of bribery and corruption, according to an indictment finalized on June 10.
Bozbey, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was jailed pending trial in April and subsequently suspended from office as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation.
Under Turkish law, municipal council members then elect an acting mayor through an internal vote.
Following the process, the administration of the northwestern province of Bursa, Türkiye’s fourth largest citiy, shifted to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Turkish media reported on June 10 that prosecutors completed the indictment against 63 suspects, 37 of whom remain in pretrial arrest, including Bozbey.
The defendants face charges of establishing and leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, causing zoning pollution through unlawful construction practices and the irregular assumption of public office.
The indictment described Bozbey as the leader of the alleged criminal organization and seeks a cumulative prison sentence of up to 402 years on multiple counts.
In the 2024 local elections, Bursa shifted from AKP to CHP control, with Bozbey securing roughly 48 percent of the vote.
The case is the latest in a series of investigations targeting CHP mayors over the past year, with several opposition municipal leaders, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, facing arrest, detention or trial.
While the CHP maintains that these actions are politically motivated efforts to suppress opposition, the government denies any political intent.
