Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office prepared a summary of proceedings against YENİ Party leader Özgür Özel and Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba on charges of "continuous bribery." The prosecutor's office sent the summaries to the Justice Ministry requesting the lifting of the two politicians' parliamentary immunity.
Prosecutor's allegations
According to the prosecutor's statement, it is alleged that Özel used his influence to ensure Muhittin Böcek was nominated as the candidate for Antalya Metropolitan Mayor in the March 31, 2024 local elections. The allegation claims that Özel obtained benefits from Muhittin Böcek and his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek at different times, either directly or through Veli Ağbaba.
In the same investigation, it is alleged that Özel also obtained financial benefits from Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım for use at the CHP congress on November 4-5, 2023. Veli Ağbaba also faces charges of "continuous bribery"; it is alleged that Ağbaba obtained benefits from the Böcek family on Özel's instructions.
What does a summary of proceedings mean?
A summary of proceedings (fezleke) is a document summarizing evidence and allegations related to a charge and includes a request to lift a deputy's parliamentary immunity; it does not constitute a conviction or an indictment. The prosecutor's office based the accusations on the bribery provisions of the Turkish Penal Code and regulations on continuous offenses.
Under Article 83 of the Constitution, to lift immunity, the summaries are first sent to the Justice Ministry, then via the Parliament Speaker's Office to the Joint Committee composed of the Constitutional and Justice Committees of the Parliament. The final decision will be made by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The individuals in question are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court decision.
Background: Antalya investigation
Muhittin Böcek, one of the figures at the center of the allegations, is the suspended former Antalya Metropolitan Mayor. Böcek was arrested as part of a bribery and corruption investigation against him; indictments were issued against numerous suspects in that investigation. It was reported that Böcek and his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek applied to benefit from active repentance provisions during the process.
A move targeting the main opposition leader
Özgür Özel is the leader of the YENİ Party, which was founded on July 24, 2026 after he and about 90 MPs left the CHP; the party is the main opposition group in Parliament. The acts attributed to him, however, relate to the period when Özel was CHP leader, concerning the 2023 congress and the 2024 local elections.
Özel and the opposition have previously described recent judicial processes targeting municipalities and opposition politicians as "political pressure." The immunity request is expected to come to the parliamentary agenda in the coming days and spark intense political debate.
