Hasbi Dede, a mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was referred to the party’s disciplinary board on Monday with a request for expulsion by the party’s Central Executive Committee (MYK).

The mayor of Görele in Türkiye’s Black Sea province of Giresun was arrested following renewed questioning as part of an investigation linked to allegations of sexual abuse involving a 16-year-old, authorities said.

Dede had previously been summoned to give testimony under an investigation launched upon a complaint and was placed under judicial control with a travel ban. After the Görele Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office objected to that decision, he was called in again for questioning and was later arrested by a duty judge following his statement.

Separately, the Family and Social Services Ministry said it was closely monitoring the judicial process after a 16-year-old child in Görele was subjected to sexual abuse.

In a statement, the ministry said the case had been followed meticulously since it was first referred to judicial authorities and that expert teams had initiated long-term psychosocial support for the child and the family. It said the ministry would intervene in the case to ensure the suspect receives the heaviest possible sentence and reiterated its zero tolerance policy toward child abuse.