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).

Police have detained a former TV actor-turned-mayor in the latest wave of arrests targeting the opposition.

The opposition has rejected a wave of accusations since 2024 and says the investigations are politically motivated. The government says the judiciary is independent.