Arrest warrant issued for Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat: First statement from Akpolat

Suspended Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat had previously been arrested in January 2025 as part of the 'Aziz İhsan Aktaş Criminal Organization' case. The indictment accepted by the Istanbul 1st High Criminal Court demands up to 415 years in prison for Akpolat due to 52 separate acts.

Akpolat, regarding the "Bosphorusallegations thatbribes were requestedforconstruction projects, following the investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, he was broughttoday from the prison where he is being heldto the Istanbul Courthouse.

'BRIBERY AND EXTORTION' ALLEGATIONS

In the referral document prepared for the court regarding Akpolat, whose statement was taken by the prosecutor's office, 'bribery and extortion' allegations were included.

Regarding the 'strong suspicion of a crime based on concrete evidence's suspicion” was foundregarding the detained Akpolat, who is alleged to have brought before the duty magistrate, bywhom an arrest warrant was issued on the grounds that he 'could pressure witnesses and tamper with evidence'as the reasonwas issued.

A second arrest warrant has been issued for Rıza Akpolat.

FROM Rıza Akpolat THEFIRST FOLLOWING THE ARREST WARRANT FIRST STATEMENT

Akpolat, on his social media account regardingthe secondarrestwarrant issuedagainsthim, he stated thefollowinghe stated: "My

valued companions,

today, entirelyI have been arrested for the second time based on allegations consisting of slanders by individualswho weremanipulated through pressure and threats.

It is clear that they have failed to achieve results from the process they have been conducting for a year,which is a character assassination campaign targeting me, my personality, my family, my party,and all of ourhonor and dignity.They have failed.

Now, in casethe truth comesout and I have achance of being released, they resorted to an arrest from another file as a "backupmeasure."

There is nothing more or less to it, theto collectdonationsfor thecharity.

Respectfully submitted to the public.

Rıza Akpolat

Silivri Prison | January 9, 2026"