Istanbul municipality probe: 3 suspects arrested over terror charges, including Sisli mayor

Three individuals, including Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan, were arrested as part of an ongoing terror investigation targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), according to officials on Sunday.

Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan arrested

Sahan, along with IBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat and Reform Institute Director Mehmet Ali Caliskan, was taken into custody under the investigation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

All three were arrested on charges related to “aiding the PKK terrorist organization,” authorities said.

The suspects were brought to Istanbul’s Caglayan Courthouse after their initial detention and later formally arrested following their appearances before a judge.

Arrests linked to wider terror probe into Istanbul Municipality

The arrests come amid a broader investigation into alleged ties between IBB personnel and designated terrorist organizations. Turkish authorities stated that the investigation is focused on the charge of aiding the PKK group.

The prosecutor’s office confirmed that judicial authorities issued arrest orders following the completion of legal procedures at the courthouse.

Search operations remain ongoing for three other suspects in the same case who are currently at large, officials added.

Ekrem Imamoglu arrested in corruption case, not on terror charges

In a related but separate legal proceeding, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested in a financial crimes investigation and faces charges including “forming and leading a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “misconduct,” “unlawful recording of personal data,” and “bid rigging,” according to a statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The court did not approve the prosecution’s request for Imamoglu to be arrested on charges of aiding an armed terrorist organization.

“There is strong suspicion regarding the charge of aiding an armed terrorist organization against Ekrem Imamoglu. However, since he has already been arrested for financial crimes, it was deemed unnecessary to pursue detention on this charge at this stage,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.