32 detained in Istanbul municipalities over terrorism links
Istanbul Justice Palace courthouse which houses the Chief Prosecutor's Office. Istanbul, Türkiye. (Photo by YASIN AKGUL / AFP)
An operation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office resulted in the detention of 38 people, including municipal workers, as part of a crackdown on the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) network on Tuesday.
Authorities raided 34 locations and apprehended 32 individuals as part of an investigation into claims that the DHKP/C financed its operations through municipal tenders in Istanbul’s Sariyer and Sisli between 2014 and 2016.
The municipalities are run by the fundamental opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
A detention order has also been issued for former Sariyer Mayor Sukru Genc.
As part of the investigation, simultaneous raids took place for 15 district municipalities in Istanbul, as well as 34 addresses in Samsun, Bursa and Izmir.
Statement from the prosecutor’s office
The ICOM (Needs Committee) was established by the DHKP/C terrorist organization to meet the needs of its institutions and provide financial support for activities carried out on behalf of the organization.
As a result of investigations following the testimony of a member of the DHKP/C terrorist organization, who provided statements under the effective remorse provisions, it was revealed that between 2014 and 2016, individuals named Dogan KARATASTAN and Yunus BOLUKOC, active within the ICOM, met with the Atasehir, Maltepe, Sariyer, and Sisli municipalities to request financial support on behalf of the organization. Furthermore, after the dismissal of workers and the non-payment of their dues by DIH (Revolutionary Workers’ Movement), the worker’s organization of DHKP/C, the Kazova Tekstil company was seized by the organization. Kazova Tekstil then participated in tenders held by the Sariyer and Sisli municipalities between 2014 and 2015, for the purchase of sweaters and t-shirts intended for distribution to children.
An inspection by the Civil Inspector revealed corruption in the tenders, including the fact that Kazova Tekstil was awarded the contracts without following the proper tender procedures, with purchases being made at prices above the market value. It was also found that it was impossible to determine who received the products, and further evidence showed that tender documents had been tampered with. Consequently, it was determined that the DHKP/C terrorist organization received financial support through tenders from Sariyer and Sisli municipalities.
The investigation has identified (2) individuals within ICOM, (12) individuals within DIH and Kazova, and a total of (38) individuals who provided financial support to the organization through the municipalities of Atasehir (3), Maltepe (5), Sariyer (8), and Sisli (8) between 2014-2016. As of 6:00 a.m. on March 11, operations were conducted at (31) addresses in Istanbul, including Maltepe (4), Kagithane (3), Sisli (3), Sariyer (6), Kucukcekmece (1), Eyupsultan (1), Sultangazi (1), Pendik (1), Beylikduzu (1), Bagcilar (1), Kartal (3), Umraniye (2), Fatih (1), Atasehir (2), Beykoz (1), and (1) address each in Samsun, Bursa, and Izmir, totaling (34) addresses. As a result, 32 suspects have been detained.
Search operations are still ongoing, and further information will be provided as developments occur.
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Mar. 11, 2025
The Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front
The DHKP-C is a Marxist-Leninist communist terror organization based in Türkiye.
Founded in 1978 as the Revolutionary Left (Devrimci Sol or Dev Sol), the group has been engaged in militant actions against the Turkish government since the 1980s. It was renamed in 1994 after internal factional conflicts.
DHKP-C is recognized as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Japan.
The group’s violent activities began in 1980, targeting both current and former Turkish politicians, military, and security personnel.
By the 1990s, the terrorist group’s focus expanded to include attacks on foreign entities, specifically U.S. military and diplomatic personnel and installations.
