Izmir district mayor suspended amid organised crime investigation

A mayor in Türkiye has been suspended from office over allegations linked to the creation of an organised crime group.

Türkiye’s Ministry of Interior has temporarily removed Güzelbahçe district mayor Mustafa Günay from office as part of an investigation conducted by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, TRT Haber reports.

The ministry said in a statement published on NSosyal that an investigation has been launched into Günay under case file No. 2026/70858.

He faces charges including establishing and leading a criminal organisation, membership in a criminal organisation, bribery, abuse of office, violations of urban planning and coastal zone regulations, environmental pollution, and falsification of official documents.

Following a court decision ordering pre-trial detention, he was temporarily suspended from his duties under Article 127 of the Turkish Constitution and Article 47 of Municipal Law No. 5393.

By Vafa Guliyeva