Istanbul Prosecutor Flags Turkey's Main Opposition Party for Potential Closure Case [Updated With the Latest Info]
In a major political development, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday, November 11, that it has sent a formal notification to the Court of Cassation's Chief Public Prosecutor regarding the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The notification outlines alleged unconstitutional activities that could serve as grounds for a party closure case.
Following initial reports that caused a stir in the nation's political sphere, officials from the prosecutor's office clarified the nature of the action. They emphasized that this move is a "notification" or "report" and does not constitute the formal filing of a closure lawsuit. Under the Turkish Constitution, the exclusive authority to open a closure case against a political party lies with the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation.
The notification stems from a sweeping indictment targeting the CHP-led Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB). Within that indictment, prosecutors detailed accusations they believe warrant review by the higher judicial authority. The referral is based on Articles 68 and 69 of the Constitution and Article 101 of the Political Parties Law, which regulate the legal standing and potential dissolution of political parties.
The basis for the referral includes severe accusations on two fronts: illicit financing and a massive voter data breach.
The prosecutor's notification alleges that public resources were misused for election campaigns and that proceeds from criminal activities were systematically funneled into a party fund with the knowledge of senior management. The document claims that a party building was acquired with undocumented money allegedly known by the leadership to be proceeds of crime. "The Republican People's Party acquired assets for the party with proceeds from crime... and these acts were carried out consciously, systematically, and continuously by party organs," the official statement read.
The second, and perhaps more explosive, charge involves the alleged illegal dissemination of personal data. The notification claims that the voter registration data of 11,360,412 citizens was leaked from the CHP. This data, legally obtained from the Supreme Election Council (YSK), was allegedly passed to third parties, processed with other personal information, and used by the party's Istanbul organization to manipulate voter behavior in an effort to undermine the democratic process.
While no closure case has been filed against the CHP at this time, the Istanbul prosecutor's notification has officially placed the matter on the desk of the one authority who can take that step. The decision now rests with the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation on whether to pursue a formal lawsuit before the Constitutional Court, which would have the final say. The development has become a top breaking news story, dominating the political agenda.