Antalya, Turkey – Zuhal Böcek, the daughter-in-law of Muhittin Böcek, the former mayor of Antalya, was taken into custody on April 29, 2026, as part of a new operation targeting Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, according to reports from Turkish media outlets.
The detention of Böcek comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and bribery within the municipality. The case highlights increasing scrutiny of local government officials and their associates in Turkey.
Earlier reports detailed allegations made by Zuhal Böcek in a series of WhatsApp messages, as part of the investigation into her father-in-law. According to an indictment, she reportedly questioned her husband, Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, about a 75 million lira payment and alleged the use of municipal vehicles in cocaine trafficking. Sabah reported on these claims in January.
Mustafa Gökhan Böcek and Zuhal Böcek released a joint statement on April 29, 2026, addressing social media posts and claims made against them. They stated that they had remained silent for a year to protect their family, but could no longer do so, citing the targeting of their young children. Memurlar.Net published the full statement.
The couple asserted that the campaign against them was intended to discredit Muhittin Böcek through false accusations. They as well announced that they had initiated legal proceedings against those responsible for creating and sharing the content.
Authorities have reportedly detained 34 individuals as part of the broader operation targeting the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. Habertürk reported on the number of detentions.
Muhittin Böcek, who is currently incarcerated, was removed from his position as mayor. The investigation remains ongoing.
