36 People Including Mayor Güner Detained in Bribery Operation

A large-scale bribery and corruption investigation was launched into the Çankaya Municipality, one of the prominent central districts of Ankara. As part of the investigation long conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a detention order was issued for a total of 36 suspects, including Çankaya Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner. The suspects were wanted on numerous serious charges, including establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, membership in a criminal organization, bribery, and tender rigging. Within the scope of the operation, simultaneous dawn raids were conducted in the early hours of the morning, and so far, 30 individuals have been successfully taken into custody. Security forces continue extensive efforts to capture the remaining 6 suspects who managed to escape and are currently fugitives.

Çankaya Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner, who is at the center of the operation, could not be initially detained as he was out of town in the morning. Güner published a public message on his social media account, stating that he had informed the relevant authorities about the situation and was open to cooperation. He also noted that to avoid opening the door for the police who wanted to search his house, he handed over a spare key and asked all his colleagues to assist the security forces. The Mayor announced that he would be in Ankara within a few hours on his scheduled flight. Landing at Ankara Esenboğa Airport in the evening, Güner was taken into custody by the waiting police teams and taken to the police station to give his statement.

Those detained include not only Mayor Güner but also senior municipal officials and political figures. Among those taken into custody are Çankaya Deputy Mayor Mesut Akıncı, Çankaya Municipal Council Member Ahmet Ağırman, and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Assembly Second Deputy Speaker Emre Doğan. In a critical secret witness statement included in the investigation file, it was claimed that large-scale irregularities occurred in the garbage tenders at Çankaya Municipality. The secret witness alleged that Emre Doğan held a decisive role in these tenders and colluded with Menderes Cemaloğlu to receive illegal kickbacks. The claim that the tenders were distributed to various shell companies through direct procurement methods, far from transparency, stood out as one of the most striking details in the file.

In the continuation of the witness statements, the hierarchical relationships within the municipality and the operation of the corruption network were detailed. It was claimed that Sadık Can Köksal, a long-time friend of Güner, was irregularly appointed as the head of the mayor's office, and through this method, internal operations were controlled. It was alleged that Deputy Mayor Mesut Akıncı and Emre Doğan managed the tender processes and cash flow in full coordination. According to the statements, while Doğan was described as the decision-maker in asphalt works, zoning plan changes, and permit processes, it was claimed that Ağırman leaked information to the outside through his political connections. The statement, 'Emre Doğan is, so to speak, the black box of Çankaya Municipality,' highlights Doğan's influence and operational weight within the municipality.

The repercussions of the operation were not limited to local government and judicial authorities; it also sparked a major debate in the political arena. Through a statement made on a social media account named 'Özgür Ankara İl', which is known to be close to CHP Group Chair Özgür Özel, party members and citizens were called to gather in front of the Çankaya Municipality building in a show of solidarity. Özel claimed that the operation was based on a 'secret witness slander,' stated that such steps would not stop their march, and expressed support for the crowd that gathered for a demonstration. CHP Spokesperson Müslim Sarı also drew attention to the increasing number of operations targeting his party's municipalities recently, implying that this process could be a tool for political pressure. Sarı emphasized that the law must be administered fairly, transparently, and devoid of politics, in observance of the presumption of innocence, and announced that they would closely monitor the process.