Wed Mar 19 05:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Istanbul Mayor, Singer Among 79 Detained in Wide-Ranging Corruption Probe
**Istanbul, Turkey** – A sweeping corruption investigation centered around Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has led to the detention of 79 individuals, including İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, several other mayors, and prominent Turkish singer Ercan Saatçi. The arrests, part of a probe into alleged links to the PKK/KCK terrorist organization and organized crime, have sent shockwaves through the country.
According to reports, Mr. Saatçi’s detention is connected to concerts he performed for the İBB. Mayor İmamoğlu and his advisor, Murat Ongun, were also taken into custody. Other high-profile detainees include Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık and Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan. Seven individuals, including Mayor İmamoğlu, face charges of aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization.
The arrests coincided with a significant drop in the Istanbul Stock Exchange (BIST 100), which opened down 6.87%. Meanwhile, the Turkish lira continued its decline, with the dollar exceeding 37 lira and gold surpassing 3,600 lira per gram.
The ongoing investigation is expected to have significant political ramifications, given the high-profile nature of those detained. The scale of the arrests highlights the breadth of the corruption allegations being investigated.
First Piper 