Who is Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat? Why was he detained? How old is Rıza Akpolat and where is he from?

According to the statement by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was determined that a criminal organization allegedly led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş manipulated public tenders by bribing mayors and high-level municipal officials.

During the investigation process, it was determined that the criminal organization secured public tenders for their own companies, and a follow-up operation lasting approximately three months was conducted in this regard.

The statement indicated that detention warrants were issued for 10 people, including Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat as well as the chairman and members of the Beşiktaş Municipality's Beltaş Management Industry and Trade Inc., on charges of "membership in a criminal organization," "rigging tenders," and "unjust enrichment."

So, who is Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat? Why was he detained? How old is Rıza Akpolat and where is he from? Here are the answers...

WHO IS RIZA AKPOLAT?

Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat was born in Istanbul in 1982 as the second child of a tradesman family from Erzincan. He graduated from Sakarya University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences in 2004.

In his political career, he served as an executive in the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Youth Branches, followed by roles as District Vice President, District President, and later as Acting Istanbul Provincial President.

He took office after receiving a record 73% of the vote in the March 31, 2019 elections, where he was a candidate for Mayor of Beşiktaş. Rıza Akpolat, a father of two daughters, married former CHP Istanbul Women's Branch President Yeşim Yankılıç on July 21, 2024.