Istanbul official released under house arrest in corruption probe

ISTANBUL

A senior official from the Istanbul Municipality was released under house arrest on May 21 in a sweeping corruption probe targeting high-level figures, including the city’s mayor.

Ertan Yıldız, head of the municipal council’s commission on subsidiaries and affiliates, was detained on allegations of leading a criminal organization.

His release comes after he provided a second statement to investigators under the “effective repentance” provisions of Turkish law, which offer reduced sentences for suspects who help expose criminal activity.

The prosecutor’s office in Istanbul said Yıldız submitted a statement through his lawyer and "sincerely detailed the organization’s structure, operations and multiple incidents" linked to the alleged crimes.

"The information provided has helped substantiate key findings in the investigation," the office said in a statement.

Yıldız is one of several figures implicated in the ongoing probe into the Istanbul Municipality. Charges under review include membership in a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, fraud, unlawful acquisition of personal data and bid rigging.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is also among those under investigation. He was arrested on March 23 on corruption charges, the same day he was selected as the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) presidential candidate through a public primary.

Separately, an Istanbul court has asked Istanbul University for a "detailed explanation" concerning the decision to cancel İmamoğlu’s diploma, private broadcaster HaberTürk said on May 20.

The court is seeking clarification on claims of legislative violations stemming from his 1990 transfer from a Turkish Cypriot university.

A university degree is among the legal requirements to run for president in Türkiye.

In its interim ruling, the court requested documentation from the university, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the prosecutor’s office in Istanbul and the Foreign Ministry. It also asked whether the university’s Faculty of Business Administration board had reviewed the alleged irregularities.

A university degree is among the legal requirements to run for president in Türkiye.