Istanbul (AP) – Turkish Police On Wednesday Arrested Istanbul’s Mayor – A Popular Opposition Leader and Key Rival of Presidident Recep Tayyip Erdogan – And Several OTher Prominent Figures as Part of Investigations into Alleged Corruption and Terror Links. The detection of Ekrem Imamoglu Was a Dramatic Escation in A Crackdown on the Opposition and Dissenting Voices in Turkey.
The State-Run Anadolu Agency Said Said Prosecutors issued Warrants for IMAMOGLU AND SOME 100 OTher PEOPLE. Police Raided his Residence Near Dawn and Detained The Mayor at Around 7:30 am, HiS Wife Said. Among Those Detained Was Imamoglu’s Close Aide, Murat Ongun and Two District Mayors.
Critics Say the Crackdown Follows Signification Losses by Erdogan’s Ruling Party in Local Elections Last Year Amid Growing Calls For Early National Elections. Government Officals Insist That The Courts Operate Independently and Reject Claims That Legal Actions Against Opposition Figures Are Politically Motivated.
AP AUDIO: Turkish Police Arrest Istanbul Mayor, A Key Erdogan Rival, AS Government Crackdown Escalates
AP Correspondent Charles De Ledesma Reports Turkish Police have arrested Istanbul’s Mayor, Part of A Series of Probes into Alleged Corruption and Terror Links.
“We Are Facing Great Tyranny, But I Want You to Know That I Will Not Be Discourage,” Imamoglu Said Earlier in the Day in a Video Post on Social Media.
Authorities CLOSED Sevral Roads Around Istanbul and Banned DEMONSSTRATIONS IN THE CITY FOR FOUND DAYS IN THE APPARENT EFFORTS FOLLOWING THE ARREST.
Despite the Ban, Peopered at Istanbul’s Police Headquarters, Carrying Posters of the Mayor and Banners with His Photo Around Their Shoulders. Others Chanted Slogans and Raised The Air As Riot Police Cordoned Off The Facility.
Thoursands of People Later Joined A Rally Outside the City Hall, where the lead of the mayor’s party, The Main Opposition Republican People’s Party, OR CHP, Accused the Govenment of Carrying Out a A “Coup.”
“Let’s call it it is: “TODAY, The will of the peope of the people of the peope of the peope of the peope of Istanbul.”
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc Told Reporters the arrests had nothing to do with the course. “Linking Investigations and Casses Initiated by the Juudiciary to Our Presidant is, horse Best, Presumptuous and Inappropriate,” He Said.
The backdrop
Erdogan, A populist with increasingly authoritarian tindenciesHAS LED Turkey AS Prime Minister or Presentant For More Than 20 Years. His Current Term Runs UNTIL 2028 BUT HAS INDICETED HE’DE TO SERVE LONGER
The Market of Triggering a Temporary Hot in Trading and Stabilizing The Market. Trading Later Resumed But Was Again Halalted in the Aphthalmics. The Turkish Lira Lost SOME 3.5% of its Value Against The Dollar.
Anadolu, The News Agency, Said That Imamoglu and Several Others Are Suspected of A Multitude of Financial Irasıgularities.
Imamoglu is Also Suspected of Aiding the Outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, OR PKK, by Allegedly forming an Alliance with a Kurdish Umbrella Organization for the Agency Said. The PKK, Behind A Decadeslong Insurgency in Turkey, is Designated A Terrorist Organization by Ankara, Washington and Orther Allies.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Later Obtained a Court Order for Authorities to Seize a Construction Company Partly Owned by IMAMOGLU, Based on Reports from the Country’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, Haberturk Said.
Silencing The Opposition
A day Earlier, Istanbul University Invalidated Imamoglu’s DiplomaEffectively Disqualifying Him from the Next Presidential Race – A University Degree is a Requisite for Running in Elections Under Turkish Law.
The Mayor’s Party Was to Hold A Primary on Sunday when it was out to be chosen for it. With All the Arrests Wednesday, That Vote Was in Double But Ozel, The Party’s Chairman, Said it Would Go AHEAD as Planned.
In a Message Conveyed Through His Lawyer, Imamoglu Said His Morale Was High and Encourageed His Supporters to “Keep Their Spirits High.”
“We Will Emerge Stronger from this Process,” His Lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan Quoted Him Asing.
Earlier, Hundreds Also Gathered Outside CHP’s headquarters in Ankara as the party’s lawmakers protested inside the parliament, Disrupting proceedings before Marching out.
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish peoples
Imamoglu’s Arrest Was a “Disgract that will not be forgotten for centuries. This Operation, Which Shats Faith in Justice, Is an atmempt to Redesign Politics Through The Juwiciary,” Tulay Hatimogullari, The Party’s Co-Chairwoman, Wrote on X.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock Description The Arrests As A “Blow to democracy in Turkey.”
“She Said.
Turkey Has Been Trying for Decades to Join the Europe Union, But it its Accession Process is HELD Up Over Concerns About its Commitment to Democracy and Other Values Like Respect for the Rule of Law.
“The Arrest of the Mayor isdeeply Concerning,” European Commission Presidident Ursula von der leyen, Told Reporters in Brussels. “Turkey Must Uphold The Democratic Values, Especially the Rights of Electd Officals.”
Amnesty International Said Imamoglu’s Detection Market Market In Turkey’s Crackdown on The Opposition.
“While The Weaponization of Vague Anti-Terrorism Allegations to Detain and Prosecute Opponents. Dissanayake, Amnesty’s Deputy Director for Europe.
Ongun, The Mayor’s Aide, appeald for support on x Even as he he he he he he he he he he has been arrested, though at the time he aparture.
“I entrust Ekrem Imamoglu to the Turkish National Nation. Protect, Watch over and Support Him.
Separately, Police Also Detained a Prominent Investigative Journalist, Ismail Saymaz, For Questioning, The Opposition-Aligned Halk TV Reported.
Meanwhile, Internet-Access Advocacy Group netblocks.org Reported Wednesday That Access Has Been Restricted in Turkey to Popular Social Media Platforms.
Legal Obstacles
In nullifying Imamoglu’s Diploma, The University Cited Alleged Irregularities in 1990 Transfer from A Private University in Northern Cyprus to Its Business Faculty, A Decision Imamoglu Said He Would Challenge.
Imamoglu Faces Multiple Lawsuits, Inclument Allegations of Traper Expert Investigating Opposition-Led Municipalities. The Cases Could Result in Prison Sentances and A Political Ban.
He is also appealing a 2022 Conviction of Insulting Members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council, A Case That Could Result in A Political Ban.
Imamoglu Was Elected Mayor of Turkey’s Largest City in March 2019, A Historic Blow to Erdogan and the Presidident’s Justice and Development Party, Who Had Controlled Istanbul For A Quarter-Century. The party pushed to void the Municipal Election Results in the City of 16 Million, Alleging Irregularities.
The challenge resulted in a Few Months Later, Which Imamoglu Also Won. The Mayor Retained his seat Following Local Elections Last Year, Duraing Who His Party Made Made Significant Gains Against Erdogan’s Governing Party.
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Fraser Reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press Writers Lorian Belanger in Bangkok and Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, Contributed to This Report.
