23.08.2026 11:41
The Istanbul 1st Heavy Penal Court will announce its verdict tomorrow in the case of the Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization, which has 200 defendants, including 7 mayors. The prosecution had sought prison sentences ranging from 4 to 450 years for the defendants.
The court is expected to announce its verdict tomorrow in the case with 200 defendants, including 7 mayors, 6 of whom have been suspended from duty, related to the Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization.
The 60th hearing of the case will be held tomorrow by the Istanbul 1st Heavy Penal Court in the hall across from the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution.
FINAL STATEMENTS TO BE TAKEN
At the hearing, the final statements of 200 defendants, 5 of whom are detained, whose defenses against the opinion on the merits have been taken, will be heard.
After the final statements are taken, the court panel is expected to announce its decision.
Oğuzhan Gül, the head of the court panel, stated at the hearing on July 29 that the case would be concluded on Monday, August 24, and that all defendants and lawyers should attend the hearing.
BACKGROUND OF THE CASE
Within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the first operation was carried out on January 13, 2025. In the ongoing process, many suspects were detained; some were arrested, while judicial control measures were imposed on others.
In the 579-page indictment completed by the prosecutor's office on October 20, 2025, Beşiktaş Municipality, Avcılar Municipality, Esenyurt Municipality, Istanbul ASFALT Fabrikaları San. ve Tic. AŞ, and the Istanbul Electric Tramway and Tunnel Enterprises General Directorate were listed as "victims harmed by the crime," 19 people as "aggrieved," and 200 people as "defendants."
REQUESTED PENALTIES FOR SOME DEFENDANTS
In the indictment, it was requested that defendant Aziz İhsan Aktaş be sentenced to 187 to 450 years in prison for "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "tampering with bids" for 42 different acts, "tampering with the performance of contracts" for 4 different acts, "forgery of official documents" for 5 different acts, "forgery of private documents" for 21 different acts, "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," "giving bribes" for 10 different acts, "laundering of asset values derived from crime," and "issuing fictitious invoices," and that the assets he obtained from the crime be confiscated.
In the indictment, it was requested that Utku Caner Çaykara, who was suspended from his duty as Avcılar Mayor, be sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison for "tampering with bids" for 2 different acts and "accepting bribes," and it was envisaged that Ahmet Özer, who was suspended from his duty as Esenyurt Mayor, be sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison for "tampering with bids" for 2 different acts and "forgery of private documents" for 2 different acts.
In the indictment, it was requested that Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, who were suspended from their duties, and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, who was reinstated after the judicial control measure against him was lifted, be sentenced to 4 to 12 years each for the crime of "accepting bribes."
Additionally, in the indictment, it was requested that Rıza Akpolat, who was suspended from his duty as Beşiktaş Mayor after his arrest, be sentenced to 133 to 337 years in prison for "being a member of a criminal organization," "tampering with bids" for 26 different acts, "forgery of official documents" for 3 different acts, "forgery of private documents" for 19 different acts, "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," "accepting bribes" for 4 different acts, "laundering of asset values derived from crime," and "illegal acquisition of property," and that the assets he obtained from the crime be confiscated.
59 HEARINGS IN 6 MONTHS
Within the scope of the prepared indictment, in 59 hearings held over the 6-month period starting on January 27 and lasting until July 29, the defenses of detained and non-detained defendants were taken, and witnesses, complainants, and lawyers of the parties were heard.
While there were 33 detained defendants at the first hearing of the case on January 27, 28 defendants, including Zeydan Karalar, Kadir Aydar, and Utku Caner Çaykara, were released during this process.
Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, and Adıyaman Deputy Mayor Ceyhan Kayhan, who were suspended from their duties within the scope of the case, along with Oya Tekin's husband Celal Tekin and Erhan Daka, remain detained.
PROSECUTOR'S OPINION ON THE MERITS
In the opinion on the merits submitted to the court panel at the hearing on May 14, the public prosecutor requested that non-detained defendant Aziz İhsan Aktaş be sentenced to a total of 103 to 280 years in prison for "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "tampering with bids" 29 times, "forgery of private documents" 19 times, "forgery of official documents" 4 times, "bribery" 3 times, and "tampering with the performance of contracts" 3 times.
In the opinion, it was requested that non-detained defendant Baki Nugay be sentenced to a total of 119 to 328 years in prison for "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "tampering with bids" 30 times, "forgery of private documents" 19 times, "forgery of official documents" 4 times, "bribery" 7 times, "tampering with the performance of contracts" 3 times, and "laundering of asset values derived from crime."
The prosecutor's office requested that the provisions of effective remorse be applied to Aziz İhsan Aktaş and Baki Nugay due to the information they provided to the prosecutor's office about the bribery acts carried out within the framework of the organization's activities in the file, after they were arrested during the investigation phase.
In the opinion, which requested that detained defendant Rıza Akpolat be sentenced to a total of 86 to 234 years in prison for "tampering with bids" 30 times, "forgery of private documents" 17 times, "forgery of official documents" 2 times, "qualified fraud" once, "bribery" 2 times, "laundering of asset values derived from crime," and "illegal acquisition, concealment, or hiding of property," it was envisaged that non-detained defendant and Beşiktaş Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Yılmaz be sentenced to a total of 64 years 6 months to 179 years in prison for "tampering with bids" 21 times, "forgery of private documents" 17 times, "forgery of official documents" 2 times, and "qualified fraud."
In the opinion, it was requested that defendants Abdurrahman Tutdere, Zeydan Karalar, Kadir Aydar, detained defendant Oya Tekin, and her husband, detained defendant Celal Tekin, be sentenced to 4 to 12 years each for the crime of "bribery."
In the opinion, which requested that non-detained defendant Ahmet Özer be sentenced to 6 months to 2 years in prison for "misconduct due to negligence" on 2 counts, it was requested that non-detained defendant Utku Caner Çaykara be acquitted of the crime of "preventing, abducting, or detaining the movement of transport vehicles" and be sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison for the crime of "bribery." Additionally, in the opinion, it was requested that the other defendants also be sentenced to prison terms of varying lengths for different crimes.
After the opinion was announced, the case was adjourned until June 15 to allow the defendants and their lawyers to prepare their defenses.
During the hearings that started on June 15 and lasted until July 29, the defendants' defenses against the opinion on the merits and their lawyers' statements were taken.