Turkish authorities have arrested 22 individuals, including a former lawmaker and five current mayors, as part of a sweeping corruption investigation that opposition figures allege is politically motivated. The arrests, carried out on Tuesday, target members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), raising fresh concerns over the government’s treatment of political rivals.
The detainees were taken into custody following raids across several provinces in southeastern Turkey. Among those arrested is former MP and DEM Party Central Executive Board member Ayşe Acar Başaran, a prominent voice in Kurdish politics and women’s rights advocacy. She was detained at her home in the city of Batman.
Local reports state that five mayors from the DEM Party — elected in the March 2024 local elections — were also arrested. The municipalities affected include key towns in Diyarbakır, Mardin, and Şırnak provinces, areas with large Kurdish populations. Turkish authorities have accused the mayors and other suspects of embezzlement, abuse of public resources, and aiding terrorist groups — charges routinely brought against pro-Kurdish politicians in recent years.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrests, stating that the investigation is based on “concrete evidence” of corruption and misuse of municipal funds. However, details of the alleged crimes have not yet been made public.
The DEM Party has rejected the allegations, calling the arrests an “organized political attack” designed to suppress legitimate opposition and undermine Kurdish representation in local governance. In a statement, party officials said the detentions are part of a broader strategy to remove elected officials and replace them with government-appointed trustees, a tactic frequently used by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during the last decade.
“The government is once again weaponizing the judiciary to silence the Kurdish political movement,” the party said. “These arrests are not about corruption — they are about fear of democracy.”
Human rights groups have also condemned the operation. The Turkish Human Rights Association (İHD) called the arrests “alarming” and urged authorities to ensure due process and transparency. International watchdogs, including Amnesty International, have previously criticized Turkey for using anti-terror laws to crack down on dissent.
During past crackdowns, dozens of pro-Kurdish mayors were removed from office and replaced by state-appointed administrators. The DEM Party, successor to the now-defunct HDP, had won significant gains in the 2024 local elections, particularly in southeastern municipalities. Observers say the wave of arrests risks reigniting tensions in the Kurdish-majority regions and could lead to further political instability.
Opposition leaders, including Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Özgür Özel, have voiced concern over the arrests. Özel warned that the government is using corruption investigations as a smokescreen for political persecution. “If there is wrongdoing, it must be investigated fairly,” he said, “but we know this pattern all too well. This is about removing elected officials, not justice.”
The Turkish government maintains that the judiciary operates independently and that the arrests are based solely on legal criteria.
As of Wednesday, the detainees were being held for questioning, with formal charges expected to be announced in the coming days. The DEM Party has vowed to resist what it calls a coordinated campaign to dismantle local democracy and has demanded the immediate release of all those detained.
Source; Turkish Minute
