Esenyurt mayor detained on terrorism charges

ISTANBUL

The mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district, Ahmet Özer from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was detained on Oct. 30 on charges of alleged membership in the PKK terrorist organization.

The chief public prosecutor’s office in Istanbul announced the detention following an investigation that reportedly uncovered interactions between Özer and high-ranking members of PKK.

Authorities cited phone records, physical surveillance and financial transactions as evidence of Özer’s “intense and sustained organic ties” with PKK.

In addition to searching Özer’s residence, officials searched the Esenyurt Municipality building.

The investigation found that over the past decade, Özer allegedly had 694 interactions with PKK affiliates and met 14 times with Remzi Kartal, co-chair of PKK-linked organization KONGRA-GEL.

According to a statement by the prosecutor's office, Özer was reportedly marked for a role in the group’s so-called “democratic autonomy project” based on organizational documents seized from PKK operatives.

CHP leader Özgür Özel criticized the charges.

"This treatment of a scientist, opinion leader and politician, who has served in the public sector and academia for years, received a clean bill of health from authorities when he became a candidate six months ago and was elected by the people of Esenyurt, is unacceptable,” Özel said.

"This is not unrelated to what has happened in the last few weeks."

Özel's comments come amid ongoing debates over a proposal by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who suggested the release of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan if the former ringleader would convince the organization to lay down arms.

The suggestion endorsed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a parliamentary meeting on Oct. 30.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also voiced his concerns, condemning Özer’s detention in a post on X.

"Türkiye must stop being a country where morning raids are conducted on politicians and scientists,” İmamoğlu wrote, praising Özer’s contributions as a "valuable scientist and local administrator."