Successive detentions at Izmit Municipality: Hürriyet's former driver also detained

A new name has been added to the investigation and detention process targeting the CHP-run municipality in the Izmit district of Kocaeli. It has been reported that Hüseyin Ergül, who served as the driver for Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet for many years, has been detained.

No official statement has been made regarding which investigation Ergül was detained under. It was reported that he would be taken to Istanbul following his processing at the police station.

Previously, actions had been taken at Izmit Municipality against Ümit Duygu Çetiner, who served as Hürriyet's chief of staff between 2019 and 2024; Koral Altın, the producer of the film "Leyla Hanım" prepared by the municipality; and former Procurement Manager Mehmet Şevket Verit.

While some individuals were released within the scope of the investigation, former Procurement Manager Mehmet Şevket Verit was arrested. With this latest detention, there is speculation in municipal circles that the scope of the process may expand.

Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet won Izmit from the AKP in the 2019 local elections and increased her vote share in the 2024 elections, also securing a majority in the municipal council. Within CHP circles, it is being debated whether the successive detentions are laying the groundwork for a potential investigation into Hürriyet herself.