Actor-turned-mayor in Ankara district detained over graft accusations
Actor-turned-politician and Ankara’s Etimesgut Mayor Erdal Beşikçioğlu was detained on July 30 as part of a corruption investigation, marking the latest operation targeting municipalities governed by the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for 55 suspects, including senior municipal officials and executives of several companies. The Etimesgut Municipality is facing allegations, including bribery and bid rigging in public tenders.
Police carried out simultaneous early-morning raids at the municipal headquarters as well as the homes, workplaces and vehicles of the suspects named in the investigation.
Beşikçioğlu was elected mayor of Etimesgut in the March 2024 local elections on the CHP ticket, securing 56.6 percent of the vote.
