Istanbul — Turkish police on Wednesday arrested Istanbul’s mayor — a well-liked opposition chief and key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and a number of other different outstanding figures as a part of investigations into alleged corruption and terror hyperlinks. It was a dramatic escalation in an ongoing crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices in Turkey.
The state-run Anadolu information company mentioned prosecutors issued detention warrants for the mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and a few 100 different individuals. Amongst these detained was Imamoglu’s shut aide, Murat Ongun.
Authorities additionally closed a number of roads round Istanbul and banned demonstrations within the metropolis for 4 days in an obvious effort to stop protests following the arrest.
YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty
Regardless of the ban, a stay feed on the Anka News Agency’s X account appeared to indicate protesters clashing with riot police at Istanbul College. One signal learn: “The college won’t comply.” No violence was instantly reported from the demonstrations.
Personal tv community NTV mentioned two Istanbul district mayors have been amongst these detained.
Critics be aware that the crackdown follows important losses by Erdogan’s ruling celebration in native elections final 12 months, and amid rising requires early nationwide elections. Authorities officers insist the courts function independently and reject claims that authorized actions in opposition to opposition figures are politically motivated.
“We face nice tyranny, however I need you to know that I cannot be discouraged,” Imamoglu mentioned earlier within the day in a video posted on social media.
Germany criticized the arrests Wednesday, with Overseas Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer describing them as “a severe setback for democracy.”
Web watchdog Netblocks mentioned Wednesday that its stay metrics indicated Turkey was limiting entry to X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and different social media platforms.
Erdogan, a populist with what opponents say are more and more authoritarian tendencies, has led Turkey as prime minister or president for greater than 20 years and is now the longest-serving chief within the Turkish republic’s historical past. His present time period runs till 2028, however he has indicated he’d prefer to serve longer — one thing he might obtain with the assistance of a pleasant parliament.
Imamoglu was arrested as police searched his house, but it surely wasn’t instantly clear if something was confiscated. His spouse, Dilek Imamoglu, informed the non-public Now tv community that police arrived at their residence earlier than daybreak and that the mayor was taken round 7:30 a.m.
The Istanbul Inventory Change’s fundamental index dropped by 7% over information of his arrest, triggering a brief halt to buying and selling to stop panic promoting and stabilize the market. The Turkish lira misplaced some 7% of its worth in opposition to the greenback.
Anadolu, the information company, mentioned that Ekrem Imamoglu and a number of other others have been suspected of extortion, cash laundering and irregularities regarding tenders and procurements, amongst different crimes.
Imamoglu can also be suspected of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Staff’ Occasion, or PKK, by allegedly forming an alliance with a Kurdish umbrella group for the Istanbul municipal elections, the report mentioned. The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey and is designated a terrorist group by Ankara, Washington and different allies.
Earlier this month, in a transfer lauded by the U.S., the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey’s authorities, following a name from the group’s long-jailed chief for it to put down arms totally.
“An tried coup in opposition to our subsequent president”
A day earlier, Istanbul College invalidated Imamoglu’s diploma, successfully disqualifying him from working within the subsequent presidential race — a college diploma is a requisite for working in elections below Turkish regulation.
The mayor’s celebration — the primary opposition Republican Individuals’s Occasion, or CHP — was to carry a major on Sunday the place Imamoglu was extensively anticipated to be chosen as its candidate in future presidential elections. The nationwide poll is at the moment scheduled for 2028, however the vote is predicted to be introduced ahead.
Regardless of all of the arrests Wednesday, CHP celebration chairman Ozgur Ozel informed the opposition-aligned Halik TV channel that its major would go forward as deliberate. Ozel referred to as Imamoglu’s detention “an tried coup in opposition to our subsequent president.”
In a social media post written in English, Imamoglu mentioned: “The desire of the individuals can’t be silenced by intimidation or illegal acts. I stand resolute, entrusting myself not solely to the 16 million residents of Istanbul however to the 86 million residents” of Turkey.
SERDAR OZSOY/Getty
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Occasion condemned the detentions and referred to as for the rapid launch of all taken into custody.
The daybreak raid on Imamoglu’s house and his arrest was a “shame that won’t be forgotten for hundreds of years. This operation, which shatters religion in justice, is an try to revamp politics by the judiciary,” Tulay Hatimogullari, the celebration’s co-chairwoman, wrote on X.
As he was being arrested, Ongun, the mayor’s aide, appealed for support on X, although he on the time didn’t seem to know that the mayor was additionally being taken into custody.
“They suppose they will silence us and forestall us from defending and supporting Ekrem Imamoglu,” Ongun mentioned. “I entrust Ekrem Imamoglu to the Turkish nation. Shield, watch over and assist him. They can not defeat the nation.”
Police additionally detained a outstanding investigative journalist, Ismail Saymaz, for questioning, the opposition-aligned Halk TV reported.
In nullifying Imamoglu’s diploma, the college cited alleged irregularities in his 1990 switch from a personal college in northern Cyprus to its College of Enterprise Administration. Imamoglu mentioned he would problem the choice.
Imamoglu faces a number of lawsuits, together with allegations of attempting to affect a judicial professional investigating opposition-led municipalities. The instances might end in jail sentences and a political ban.
He’s additionally interesting a 2022 conviction of insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council, a case that would end in a political ban.
Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkey’s largest metropolis in March 2019 in a historic blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Improvement Occasion, which had managed Istanbul for a quarter-century. The president’s celebration pushed to void the municipal election ends in town of 16 million, alleging irregularities.
The problem resulted in a repeat of the election a number of months later, which Imamoglu additionally received. The mayor retained his seat following native elections final 12 months, throughout which his celebration made important positive factors in opposition to Erdogan’s governing celebration.
