Prosecutor seeks up to 217 years for jailed Bolu mayor in corruption case
A prosecutor in northwestern Turkey has asked a court to impose a sentence of up to 217 years on suspended Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan for alleged extortion, bribery and fraud.
In a court in northwestern Turkey, a prosecutor has urged a judge to hand down a prison term ranging from 69 years and six months to 217 years for Tanju Özcan, the mayor of Bolu who is currently jailed and suspended. The charges encompass extortion, bribery and fraud tied to local businesses and a charitable organization, and the case involves 19 accused, four of whom are already in custody. Özcan, who secured a second mayoral term in 2024 as a candidate of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was removed from office by the Interior Ministry after a March conviction.
He resigned from the CHP in June after a court reinstated former party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and the new leadership moved to expel him for supporting Özgür Özel in a party feud. The prosecutor submitted the sentencing recommendation between trial sessions, with the next hearing scheduled for October 19.
Why it matters
The case highlights political tensions and anti-corruption efforts affecting Turkey's opposition leaders.
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