Crackdown shatters AKP 'anti-corruption' taboo
Anti-corruption operations targeting four ministers of Erdogan's AKP government have inflicted irreparable damage on the government's reputation and legitimacy.
Since the morning of Dec. 17, the Turkish public has been experiencing shock waves as a result of massive anti-corruption operations, which directly concern Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP). There are phenomenal accusations of bribery against four major government ministers who are known to be close to the prime minister: Erdogan Bayraktar, minister of environment and urbanization; Muammer Guler, minister of interior; Zafer Caglayan, minister of economy; and Egemen Bagis, minister of EU affairs.
Sons of the first three ministers were detained by police on the morning of Dec. 17 on charges of bribery and influence peddling. On Dec. 19, the sons were being questioned by police.
On the same day, the Istanbul police launched three separate anti-corruption operations and detained 52 people. At the center of the first operation was an Iranian of Azeri origin named Reza Zarrab. According to information made available to the public, Zarrab was active in smuggling cash to Iran via Russia and China. It is claimed that Zarrab had established bribery and graft links with Guler, Caglayan and Bagis, either directly or through their sons. Zarrab is accused of distributing $63 million in bribes to the ministers. According to news reports, Caglayan is accused of taking $51.5 million in bribes; Guler, $10 million; and Bagis, $1.5 million.
On Dec. 19, the daily Taraf published police recordings of telephone conversations and visual monitoring of bribery connections of Guler and Bagis.
