Istanbul mayor's arrest fuels political firestorm in Turkey
The detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, has sparked criticism from the opposition and human rights organizations. Emma Sinclair-Webb from Human Rights Watch described it as a "blatant abuse of the justice system."
The Turkish opposition has labeled this move a "coup." Emma Sinclair-Webb, director for Turkey at Human Rights Watch, emphasized in an interview with Reuters that the detention of Imamoglu is part of politically motivated efforts aimed at weakening the opposition. She called for the immediate release of those detained. The Turkish authorities reject these accusations, claiming that the judiciary operates independently.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) described Imamoglu's detention as a "coup against the next president" of Turkey. CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called for the opposition to unite in response to these events. CHP plans to run Imamoglu as a candidate in the 2028 presidential elections, where some polls show him leading over the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Controversies surrounding the charges
Imamoglu was detained in connection with corruption charges and alleged ties to terrorism. The prosecution reported that around 100 people, including journalists and businessmen, were detained on suspicion of involvement in a procurement-related crime. Imamoglu and six others were accused of supporting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), recognized as a terrorist organization.
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), criticized the characterization of the detention as a "coup," calling it "political degeneration." In response to the detention, the governor of Istanbul implemented a four-day assembly ban in the city.
The detention of Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, since 2019 and the surrounding events have sparked a broad debate about the state of democracy and the rule of law in Turkey. These events are being closely watched both domestically and internationally.
