An İstanbul court has ordered the arrest of 10 individuals detained in an ongoing terrorism investigation targeting district municipalities governed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in İstanbul.
Following their detention on Feb 11, the suspects, comprising deputy district mayors and municipal councilors, were referred to İstanbul Courthouse, where a court ruled for their arrest.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office alleges that those arrested were involved with the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), an umbrella organization of leftist and pro-Kurdish groups. Prosecutors claim that they participated in the "urban consensus" strategy—an electoral cooperation between the CHP and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party in last year’s local elections—at the direction of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
A written statement from the prosecutor’s office describes the "urban consensus" as "a structure beyond the DEM Party" and claims that the HDK and the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) are "key organizations managing grassroots mobilization" for the PKK.
The DEM Party introduced the "Urban Consensus" approach ahead of the 2024 local elections. Under the strategy, the DEM did not field candidates in certain İstanbul districts, while some of its members were elected as municipal councilors through CHP lists. In Esenyurt, for example, CHP member Ahmet Özer ran under the "Urban Consensus" and was elected mayor. However, he was arrested in October in a terrorism investigation and removed from office.
Among those arrested yesterday are Üsküdar Municipal Council member Bülent Kaygun, Fatih Municipal Council member Güzin Alparslan, Ataşehir Deputy Mayor Livan Gür, Kartal Deputy Mayor Cemalettin Yüksel, Sancaktepe Municipal Council member Elif Gül, Şişli Municipal Council member Sinan Gökçe, Tuzla Municipal Council member Hasan Özdemir, Beyoğlu Municipal Council member Turabi Şen, Adalar Municipal Council member Nesimi Aday, and an individual identified as İ.P., who is reportedly linked to Beyoğlu Municipality.
What is the HDK?
The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) was founded in 2011 as a coalition of labor unions, leftist movements, minority groups, and various rights-based organizations, including women’s and LGBTI+ groups. The HDK describes itself as a platform for democratic opposition and social movements, advocating for broad-based grassroots participation in politics.
The latest arrests come amid a broader crackdown on opposition-run municipalities in İstanbul. In recent months, multiple CHP mayors and officials have been detained, while investigations have been launched into İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on separate charges. (VK)