Bekir Ali Yüksel writes: The regime of informants from Tuncay Güney to Aziz İhsan Aktaş

In Turkey, the word "informant" is no longer a tool of law, but of politics.

Let us recall: In 2007, the man who ignited the Ergenekon operations was someone who had been interrogated at the Istanbul Police Department in 2001. He was a strange figure whose statements were full of contradictions. Tuncay Güney.

A massive judicial mechanism was set in motion based on his statements. Fabricated evidence was produced, and private information was leaked. And dozens of soldiers, journalists, politicians, and academics remained imprisoned for years.

What was the result? That fictional system built on an "informant" collapsed. And it was labeled a "conspiracy." Today, a similar situation is unfolding. This time, the lead role is played by: Aziz İhsan Aktaş.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into "bribery and tender corruption" targeting certain municipalities in January 2025. Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is accused of being a "criminal organization leader," was placed at the center of the process. However, strangely enough, this organization leader was released twice after providing "effective remorse" statements. Moreover, under house arrest... And a total of 22 people were arrested based on his statements.

Among them are Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan Akgül, Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hakan Bahçetepe, Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, and Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar.

Today, within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the "Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization," detention warrants were issued for 10 people. Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere were also detained.

The list is not only extensive but significant: All of these names represent large and strategic municipalities that remained in the hands of the opposition in the 2024 local elections. In other words, a "criminal organization leader" gives a statement to get out of prison; elected mayors are detained based on this statement.

Doesn't this picture look familiar?

The same method was followed during the Ergenekon process, which was designed with Tuncay Güney's fabricated evidence. People were arrested based on statements. Later, they all collapsed. Therefore, clear answers must be given to the following questions today:

• If Aziz İhsan Aktaş is a criminal organization leader, why was he released?

• What is the basis for these statements? Is there concrete documentation, technical surveillance, or records of money traffic?

• Why was this process initiated immediately after the elections and directed at municipalities held by the opposition?

If there is corruption, the law must of course do what is necessary. But here, the law has become not the scales of justice, but the lever of politics, and it has been tied to the words of an informant.

As every statement given under the name of effective remorse becomes a tool to escape punishment, it is not justice that gains meaning, but a bargain of interests. Moreover, if elected people are paying the price for this bargain, this is not a state of law, but a "regime of informants."

With the Ergenekon conspiracy, the command echelon of the Turkish Armed Forces was dismantled. Turkey paid a very heavy price for this vulnerability on July 15.

Once again, an informant and a similar scenario.

To avoid paying a higher price, we need a justice system governed by reputation, not by confessions.

Bekir Ali Yüksel