23.07.2026 22:00
20 suspects, including İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, who were detained in an investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office targeting the İzmit Municipality and referred to court with a request for arrest, have been arrested.
In the corruption operation, 20 people including Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet were arrested.
Within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Izmit Municipality, an operation was carried out on Monday, July 20, in line with the statements of suspects, expressions of effective remorse, and testimonies of secret witnesses. In the simultaneous operation carried out in Kocaeli, Antalya, Kırıkkale, Istanbul, and Ankara, 30 people including Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet, her husband Murat Hurriyet, CHP Izmit District Chairman Gokhan Ercan, municipal administrators, and officials of various companies that had entered tenders with the municipality were detained.
As part of the operation, a search was also conducted at Izmit Municipality. The suspects, detained on charges of 'forming an organization for the purpose of committing crimes', 'bribery', and 'tampering with tenders', were brought to Istanbul.
THEY UNDERWENT HEALTH CHECKS The 30 people, whose procedures at the police station were completed, were brought to Bayrampasa State Hospital under security measures in the morning and underwent health checks.
Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet ARREST REQUEST FOR 21 SUSPECTS After the procedures at the police station, the suspects were brought to Istanbul Courthouse following health checks, and their prosecutor statements were completed. Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet, her husband Murat Hurriyet, CHP Izmit District Chairman Gokhan Ercan, along with Fatih Yasar, Leyla Kiran, Mehmet Ersoylu, Ramazan Kirici, Yusuf Kirici, Yuksek Kirici, Adem Ok, Ali Han Unal, Irfan Can, Kenan Yilmaz, Nihat Onal, Seyhan Ozcan, Burak Guresen, Cemil Yilmaz, Cetin Sarica, Hakan Oral, Nusret Omurhan Yilmaz, and Zekiye Kostekli Oral were referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for arrest, while the other 9 suspects were referred with a request for judicial control.
20 SUSPECTS ARRESTED Among the suspects, Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet, her husband Murat Hurriyet, CHP Izmit District Chairman Gokhan Ercan, along with Fatih Yasar, Mehmet Ersoylu, Ramazan Kirici, Yusuf Kirici, Yuksek Kirici, Adem Ok, Ali Han Unal, Irfan Can, Kenan Yilmaz, Nihat Onal, Seyhan Ozcan, Burak Guresen, Cemil Yilmaz, Cetin Sarica, Hakan Oral, Nusret Omurhan Yilmaz, and Zekiye Kostekli Oral were arrested by the court they were brought to and sent to prison. Meanwhile, 10 people were released under judicial control conditions.