Turkish authorities have ordered the detention of 36 people, including the mayor of an Ankara district, as part of an investigation into alleged bribery and tender rigging.

Investigation Details

The Ankara chief prosecutor’s office announced the detentions on Saturday, with 27 suspects already in custody and searches ongoing for the remaining nine.

Huseyin Can Guner, the mayor of Ankara’s Cankaya district and a representative of the Republican People’s Party, stated that he had informed authorities of his whereabouts and provided a spare key to his home for officers conducting a search.

Guner maintained that his administration has managed the institution in the best possible way and has not engaged in any conduct that would embarrass those who have placed their trust in them.

The operation follows a series of investigations into municipalities run by the Republican People’s Party, with the government claiming the judiciary is independent and the party rejecting the allegations as politically motivated.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.