Ankara prosecutors have prepared legislative summaries seeking the removal of parliamentary immunity for New Party leader Özgür Özel and fellow lawmaker Veli Ağbaba over allegations of “receiving bribery in a chain.”
The files were sent to the Justice Ministry for processing before being forwarded to parliament, where lawmakers will decide whether the duo’s immunity should be lifted.
Prosecutors allege that Özel obtained financial benefits on multiple occasions from ousted Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek and his son, Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, before the 2024 elections in exchange for securing the former’s nomination.
The indictment summary also alleges that Özel received financial benefits from dismissed Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım on different occasions.
A separate statement from prosecutors accused Ağbaba of obtaining financial benefits from Mustafa Gökhan Böcek at Özel’s direction.
Prosecutors said Ağbaba used his influence to ensure a solid waste collection tender by Ankara’s Çankaya Municipality was awarded through a negotiated procedure to a company of his choice.
The statement further alleged that Ağbaba collected financial support from mayors and municipal council members in and around the western province of İzmir for use in the 2024 polls.
A lawmaker whose immunity is removed can appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court within seven days. The court must issue a final ruling within 15 days.
If the appeal is rejected, or no appeal is filed, the case is sent to the relevant court for trial. The lawmaker remains in office until a final conviction is issued.
Özel was removed from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) leadership after a May court ruling that declared the party’s 2023 convention invalid. He later founded the New Party along with 90 lawmakers from the CHP.
A relevant commission in parliament currently holds hundreds of immunity files involving lawmakers from several parties.
The files include 325 cases involving 71 CHP lawmakers, 628 cases involving 43 Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmakers, eight cases involving five ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers, 30 cases involving nine İYİ (Good) Party lawmakers and 42 cases involving three Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TİP) lawmakers.
In an interview with news site T24, Özel said he had 55 immunity files against him and claimed they could amount to 200 years in prison if his immunity were lifted.
