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.
Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin (Front) leaves the police headquarters in Istanbul December 18, 2013. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday a corruption investigation in which 52 people including the sons of three cabinet ministers have been detained was part of a "planned operation" to tarnish the government. In the first official comments on the investigation from a senior member of the government, Arinc also said politics would not be allowed to stand in the way of the inquiry
Istanbul police Chief Huseyin Capkin (front) leaves police headquarters in Istanbul, Dec. 18, 2013. - REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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Kadri Gürsel
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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. 

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