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On Thursday, a court decision granted conditional release to business figures Ali Nuhoglu and Suleyman Atik, who had been detained as part of the ongoing corruption investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB).
With this ruling, the number of individuals released under the "effective remorse" clause in the IBB investigation has now reached 25.
The recent wave of confessions from individuals linked to the municipality has generated significant attention, both in terms of understanding what they confessed and in terms of understanding how they confessed.
Understanding the legal framework behind these confessions and why they have become so prevalent is crucial to understanding how the case is progressing.
In Turkish legal terms, a "confessor" refers to someone who admits their involvement in a crime and agrees to cooperate with authorities by providing valuable information that helps in resolving the case. This practice is grounded in the principle of “effective remorse.” Under this legal provision, individuals who admit to committing a crime and offer significant assistance to the investigation can receive reduced sentences as a reward for their cooperation.
However, the details of what the former colleagues of the 25 detained mayors have allegedly confessed remain unclear and are the subject of speculation. Moreover, the lack of public disclosure of these confessions raises concerns that other agendas might be at play behind the scenes.
In the beginning, there was significant opposition coming particularly from the main opposition party to the cases based on the prepared indictments, with many political strategists viewing the trials as a form of psychological warfare. A pivotal moment came with the confession of Murat Abbas, head of the municipality’s cultural corporation. Given that cultural expenditures are often one of the most contentious areas within municipal governance among the public, the release of Abbas after his confession added a new layer to the psychological battle.
Media figures supporting the main opposition party quickly emphasized that Abbas, despite his confession, was merely a professional and not affiliated with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), aiming to distance the case from political overtones.
The confessions coming from key figures tied to the Istanbul municipality investigation, such as Ekrem Imamoglu's former advisor Ertan Yildiz and businessman Aziz Ihsan Aktas, have fueled intense debate. Yildiz, often mentioned in pro-government media, is now implicated in the case, with rumors swirling that “even the mayor's advisor has turned against him."
However, Imamoglu’s side argues that Yildiz's confession is a desperate attempt to avoid further legal consequences. Meanwhile, Aktas, who was arrested on charges of being an organized crime leader, provided a detailed statement, complete with supporting documents. He claims that he was asked to provide cars and money, stating, "They asked me for a car, which I provided, and money, which I gave." Opposition figures claim he was already in contact with the government.
Beyond these names, as highlighted at the outset of the investigation, the defense coming from one side is that the businessmen arrested alongside Imamoglu were primarily focused on saving their own businesses, while some of the other confessors reportedly succumbed to the pressures of prison conditions.
However, from the government’s perspective, the expectation was that this would lead to more evidence coming to light from the beginning.
The suspects are being investigated for a range of offenses, including "establishing and leading a criminal organization," "membership in a criminal organization," "bribery," "corruption," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with tenders."
So far, five separate operations have been carried out in the Istanbul Municipality investigation. During these operations, over 120 individuals were arrested, with 25 of them becoming confessors. In the operations that followed the first wave of arrests, new suspects emerged as a result of the names provided by the confessors. Although the details are still unclear, preliminary information suggests that some of the names given by the confessors may include mayors. This has led to the investigation being expanded further.
There are also two fugitives of the investigations, who have made confessions to advisors, businessmen and directors. Emrah Bagdatli, who is said to have fled abroad, is known to have close ties with Murat Ongun, the former spokesperson for the Istanbul municipality and one of Ekrem Imamoglu’s closest associates.
In addition to the confessors, anonymous witnesses have also sparked significant controversy surrounding the case, raising further questions about the proceedings.
The ongoing investigation by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office has resulted in numerous charges being filed against several suspects, with former Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu facing allegations in more than three separate investigations.
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