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The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has completed two separate investigations into opposition figure and New Party Chairman Ozgur Ozel and lawmaker Veli Agbaba, forwarding dossiers to the Justice Ministry requesting the lifting of both legislators' parliamentary immunity on charges of serial bribery under the Turkish Penal Code.
The investigations were conducted by the Prosecutor's Office's Bureau for Civil Servant and Parliamentary Crimes. If the ministry advances the dossiers and parliament votes to strip immunity, both figures could face formal prosecution.
Prosecutors allege that Ozel abused his influence and authority in the period leading up to the March 31, 2024 local elections to solicit benefits from Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Bocek and his son Mustafa Gokhan Bocek, either directly or through Agbaba as an intermediary, in connection with securing the Antalya mayoral candidacy.
A separate strand of the investigation concerns the November 4-5, 2023 CHP party congress. Prosecutors allege that Ozel received financial benefits from Usak Mayor Ozkan Yalim during that period.
The dossier against Ozel was submitted to the Justice Ministry with a request to lift his immunity under Article 83 of the Turkish Constitution.
The investigation into Agbaba, the party's lawmaker for Malatya, covers three distinct sets of allegations. First, prosecutors claim he received varying sums from Mustafa Gokhan Bocek related to the Antalya mayoral candidacy process, acting on Ozel's instructions.
Second, he is accused of using his influence to steer a solid waste collection tender by the Cankaya Municipality to a specific company through negotiated contracting, in violation of procurement specifications, and receiving financial benefits in return.
Third, prosecutors allege he solicited financial benefits from mayors and municipal council members in and around Izmir ahead of the March 31, 2024 local elections.
The Justice Ministry dossier for Agbaba also seeks the lifting of his parliamentary immunity, with the legal process set to continue once the relevant authorities have reviewed both submissions.
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