(Adnkronos) – The mayor of the Turkish city of Bursa has been arrested. The pro-government daily Daily Sabah reports a total of 55 people arrested, including the mayor – Mustafa Bozbey – of this northwestern Turkish city, the fourth most important in the country. They are all accused of bribery, participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, and violation of building regulations. Among those detained, the newspaper reports, are also Bozbey’s wife, daughter, and brothers.
The investigation, according to Turkish TV Trt, describes the latter as a “gang leader,” accused of heading a criminal organization. Bozbey – a member of Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP – is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for illegitimate changes to urban plans when he was head of the Nilüfer district in Bursa.
The news of Bozbey’s arrest comes within a framework of legal actions against CHP members, following the party’s landslide victory in local elections two years ago. CHP leaders have often denounced what they consider politically motivated investigations.
