Police detained five individuals, including Eşme District Mayor Yılmaz Tozan and his spouse, as part of an investigation into extortion allegations related to the municipality in the western province of Uşak.
Police teams also conducted a search in the municipal hall and seized various digital materials.
Authorities are continuing efforts to locate one remaining suspect, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).
Tozan was elected mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), in the Mar 2024 local elections.
Background
Over the past year, Turkey has witnessed a sustained crackdown on local administrations led by the CHP. The wave of judicial and administrative actions has resulted in the suspension and arrest of more than 30 mayors, including those of the country's largest metropolitan centers.
Thirty-one opposition mayors removed from office since 2024 elections
The process began with the high-profile arrest of İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on Mar 19, 2025. Authorities charged the mayor, who was later declared the CHP’s presidential candidate, with leading a criminal organization and misusing municipal funds. Following his detention, the Interior Ministry suspended him from office. The arrest sparked widespread protests that lasted over a week.
The CHP alleges the investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken the party following its major success against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the 2024 local elections. The government denies political involvement, maintaining that the investigations were based on law enforcement findings and confessions by individuals.
(VK)
