Breaking News... Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel detained

This morning, Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel was detained within the scope of an investigation initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Following the event, the first statement from the CHP came from party spokesperson Bülent Tezcan.

"SETUP" AND "INTERFERENCE WITH THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE"

In a statement on his social media account, Bülent Tezcan described the operation in question as a "setup." Tezcan characterized the detention of Mayor Günel as an interference with the will of the people. Furthermore, Tezcan stated that the mayor elected by the people of Kuşadası must be released.

PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE ISSUES STATEMENT

In a statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that 6 people, including the mayor, were detained. The prosecutor's office statement is as follows:

"As a result of the examination of witness and complainant statements, suspect testimonies, information and documents in the investigation file, HTS records, and account movements analyzed by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the crimes of 'Bribery' and 'Extortion' linked to the Kuşadası Municipality, a reasonable suspicion of guilt has been reached regarding the commission of the crimes subject to the investigation. As a result of the evaluations, detention, search, and seizure operations were carried out on 13.03.2025 in 3 provinces, namely Aydın, İzmir, and Antalya, against 6 identified suspects, primarily Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel, Zoning and Urbanization Manager Ahmet Taşkan, and Building Control Manager Mustafa Burak Gündeş. The suspects for whom detention warrants were issued have been apprehended and taken into custody, and efforts are being carried out meticulously to reveal the material truth in all its aspects within the scope of the investigation. Respectfully announced to the public."

TENSIONS WITH ÖZLEM ÇERÇİOĞLU HAD BEEN ON THE AGENDA

The tension between Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel, who was detained this morning, and Aydın Metropolitan Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu had previously been on the agenda.

It was alleged that Çerçioğlu, who resigned from the CHP and joined the AKP, targeted Günel by saying, "The state is behind me," and wanted to have him imprisoned through various plans. In a report published on the Aydın Denge website, it was claimed that Çerçioğlu had made Günel a target and was making plans such as "How can I keep Ömer Günel inside?"

Following the allegations, the tension between the two names had returned to the agenda with a new controversy. The Aydın Metropolitan Municipality had requested the evacuation of the ground floor of the service building, which was allocated to the Kuşadası Municipality for 5 years in 2022, on the grounds that it was used in violation of the protocol.

Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel, on the other hand, announced that the execution had been stayed as a result of their application to the Administrative Court, argued that the evacuation request was political, and stated, "If necessary, we will set up a tent and continue to serve the people of Kuşadası."

ÖMER GÜNEL HAD FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST ÇERÇİOĞLU

Çerçioğlu's statements regarding the existence of zoning rent and a zoning mafia in Kuşadası while joining the AKP had been on the agenda. Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel denied the allegations, stating that the zoning plan change in question was mandatory due to earthquake risk and had not passed through the Metropolitan Municipal Council.

Günel also targeted Çerçioğlu, claiming that the area where her family's hotel is located in Sultanhisar was made suitable for construction with a plan change made shortly before her transition to the AKP, and that a total rent of 522 million liras was created through various zoning regulations. The Kuşadası Municipality had also filed a criminal complaint against Çerçioğlu due to her remarks about a zoning mafia and rent mafia.

News Source: 12punto