The Interior Ministry has replaced the mayor of İstanbul’s Esenyurt district, Ahmet Özer, with a trustee following his arrest on “terror” charges late yesterday. İstanbul Deputy Governor Can Aksoy has been appointed as Özer’s interim successor.
Özer, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained yesterday during a dawn raid at his home and was eventually remanded in custody by a court. He is accused of having connections to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The incident marks the first time that a CHP mayor is removed from office on charges related to “terrorism,” a practice that has widely targeted pro-Kurdish parties since 2016.
İstanbul's Esenyurt district mayor remanded in custody in 'terror' investigation
State media obtains ‘confidential’ files
Despite a confidentiality order on the investigation, the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) obtained formal documents regarding yesterday’s legal proceedings, including Özer’s testimony and the court order for his arrest. The order means that Özer’s lawyers’ access to these documents are restricted.
During his questioning by prosecutors, Özer claimed that he is being targeted due to his political role and that the allegations against him lack evidence, according to the AA reporting. “I have written over 40 books on subjects including regional development and the Kurdish issue. These charges, including alleged references to me in discussions dating back to 2002, are groundless and politically motivated,” he said.
Alleged links to high-profile PKK member
The case against Özer includes claims he had connections with individuals linked to the PKK, including Remzi Kartal, a former parliamentarian and high-profile figure within the militant group. In his statement, Özer clarified that he and Kartal are members of the same tribe based in the Van province but he has had no contact with him since Kartal left Turkey. “I don’t share his ideology or worldview,” he added.
Özer also defended a recent Esenyurt festival where some attendees allegedly chanted pro-PKK slogans, noting that they had organized the festival with the district governor. “Many people were invited, but I wasn’t responsible for the guest list—that was handled by the staff there. The festival attracted 450,000 people, and I’ve heard that in a crowd of that size, a small group of 3-5 people may have chanted slogans about Öcalan. If I had known, I would have intervened.”
Özer also criticized the raid on his home, saying that he would have visited the police department to provide a statement if he was summoned by police.
Özer, 64, a distinguished academic in Turkey, became the mayor of Esenyurt in the local elections in March after securing nearly half of the vote. He ran as the candidate of the CHP and was endorsed by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party.
Who is Ahmet Özer, the arrested mayor of İstanbul's Esenyurt district?
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