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Nine of the 13 suspects detained in an investigation into allegations that delegates’ voting preferences were influenced during the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress were arrested, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced.
In a statement, the prosecutor’s office said the investigation was launched over allegations that delegates’ voting will was interfered with during the CHP congress.
“As a result of the work carried out by the Financial Crimes Investigation Department of the Istanbul Police Department, 13 suspects deemed to have committed the offenses of ‘violating the Political Parties Law,’ ‘accepting bribes,’ and ‘laundering assets derived from crime’ were detained, and search and seizure operations were conducted at addresses in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Sanliurfa, Kahramanmaras, Kilis and Malatya, the statement said.
The detained suspects, Gulhan Aydin, Safi Karayalcin, Melda Tanisman Tutan, Hayati Kaya, Suat Dulger, Kalender Ozdemir, Ozkan Deniz, Ibrahim Sahin, Umut Sapan, Mehmet Ayip Demirbuken, Metin Kaya, Gaffar Cicek and Ayca Akpek Senay, completed police procedures and were transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Caglayan.
Following questioning, Aydin, Karayalcin, Dulger, Ozdemir, Deniz, Sahin, Sapan, Demirbuken, Kaya, Cicek and Senay were referred to court with requests for arrest, while Tutan and Hayati Kaya were referred under judicial control measures.
The court ordered the arrest of Safi Karayalcin, Suat Dulger, Kalender Ozdemir, Ozkan Deniz, Ibrahim Sahin, Umut Sapan, Metin Kaya, Gaffar Cicek and Mehmet Ayip Demirbuken.
Judicial control measures were imposed on Ayca Akpek Senay, Gulhan Aydin, Melda Tanisman Tutan and Hayati Kaya.
According to the prosecutor’s referral document, suspects Gulhan Aydin, Kalender Ozdemir, Ozkan Deniz, Safi Karayalcin, Suat Dulger, Halil Ibrahim Sahin, Umut Mehmet Sapan, Mehmet Ayip Demirbuken and Metin Kaya held positions such as delegates and district chairpersons during the CHP’s 38th congress period.
Based on statements in the case file, prosecutors alleged that the suspects determined their voting preferences at the congress in line with the benefits they allegedly received.
According to the referral document, some suspects allegedly obtained municipal tenders, and some had relatives placed in municipal positions, while others allegedly received cash payments.
The document stated that these findings constituted concrete evidence supporting a strong suspicion of violating the Political Parties Law.
The referral document also addressed suspect Gaffar Cicek, stating that he served as the driver of Veli Agbaba, who was named in statements given by Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Bocek and his son Gokhan Bocek regarding allegations that €1 million was delivered to CHP headquarters before the election period upon request.
Muhittin Bocek and Gokhan Bocek had previously been detained and prosecuted by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The document alleged that Agbaba used Cicek to transport money in incidents in which he was accused of obtaining unjust financial benefits.
“There is strong suspicion based on concrete evidence that suspect Ayca Akpek Senay was also connected to Veli Agbaba, followed the process after Gokhan Cumali was detained, and although she denied the allegations, acted as an intermediary in Veli Agbaba’s alleged unjust financial benefit relations. Therefore, their arrest is requested,” it further stated.
The developments come after a Turkish court ordered the main opposition CHP to organize a new congress after annulling the party’s 2023 leadership vote over allegations of irregularities.
On Nov. 4-5, 2023, Ozgur Ozel defeated Kemal Kilicdaroglu to become CHP chairman at the party congress.
Following the congress, CHP delegates and former Hatay Mayor Lutfu Savas filed lawsuits seeking the annulment of the vote, alleging vote buying, political favors and procedural irregularities.
Ankara prosecutors later launched an investigation into allegations of vote manipulation, while CHP rejected the claims and submitted its defense to the court.
In May 2026, the court ruled the 2023 CHP congress legally invalid under the principle of “absolute nullity.”
Following the ruling, the pre-congress administration under Kemal Kilicdaroglu was temporarily reinstated to organize a new congress.
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