Riza Akpolat
Rıza Akpolat | |
|---|---|
| 6th Mayor of Beşiktaş | |
| In office 31 March 2019 – 17 January 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Tahir Doğaç (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Rasim Şişman (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 11, 1982 Bahçelievler, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Political party | Republican People's Party (CHP) (2006–present) |
| Spouse |
Derya Akpolat
(m. 2022, divorced)Yeşim Yankılıç (m. 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Sakarya University |
Ali Rıza Akpolat (born 11 November 1982) is a Turkish politician who served as the Mayor of Beşiktaş from 2019 to 2025. He is a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP).
Political career
Rıza Akpolat was born in Bahçelievler, Istanbul in 1982.[1] He graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Sakarya University in 2004.
Akpolat joined the youth branch of the CHP in 2006 and held various roles in the Bahçelievler district branch until 2015.[2] He was a parliamentary candidate from Istanbul’s 3rd electoral district in the 2015 general elections (June and November) but was not elected.[3]
He was elected Mayor of Beşiktaş in the 2019 local elections with 73% of the vote.[4] He was re-elected in the 2024 local elections with 64.12% of the vote.[5]
Investigation and arrest
On 13 January 2025, Akpolat was detained in connection with a bribery investigation targeting municipal officials and contractors in Istanbul.[6] He was formally arrested along with 22 others, including municipal executives, on 17 January 2025.[7]
Following his arrest, the Turkish Ministry of the Interior suspended Akpolat from office as a precautionary measure.[8] Ömer Rasim Şişman was later elected as acting mayor by the Beşiktaş Municipal Council on 23 January 2025.[9]
Personal life
Akpolat is of Alevi Zaza origin and hails from the village of Bulanık in Üzümlü, Erzincan Province. He has two daughters from his first marriage to Derya Akpolat. In July 2024, he married Yeşim Yankılıç, the former Istanbul chairwoman of the CHP women’s branch.[10]
External links
References
- ^ "Başkan Rıza Akpolat'a sürpriz doğum günü kutlaması". 11 November 2019. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ "Rıza Akpolat Biography" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "CHP candidate list for November 1 elections". 19 September 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ "Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat takes office". 4 April 2019. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ "2024 Beşiktaş election results". 31 March 2024. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Rıza Akpolat taken into custody in corruption probe". Archived from the original on 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat arrested". 17 January 2025. Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat suspended from office". 17 January 2025. Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
- ^ "Ömer Rasim Şişman elected as acting mayor of Beşiktaş". 23 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
- ^ "Akpolat marries Yeşim Yankılıç". 21 July 2024. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.