Turkish authorities have arrested over 300 members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), including 11 mayors, in a major crackdown on opposition. The arrests include Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was jailed in March and sparked the largest public protests in a decade.
The latest arrests include three CHP mayors from southern cities: Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek, and Adiyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere. The detainees are accused of extortion, along with eight others.
This crackdown is part of a broader investigation targeting hundreds of CHP members since October. Erdogan’s main political rival, Imamoglu, remains in jail awaiting trial on corruption charges that he denies.
The government denies involvement in the crackdown, insisting that prosecutors and the judiciary act independently. However, the CHP accuses the investigations as politically motivated to neutralize the party’s threat to Erdogan’s rule.
The arrests come amid a deepening economic crisis in Turkey, with high inflation and a devalued lira causing public unrest. The opposition party’s nomination of Imamoglu as its presidential candidate for the 2028 election could further destabilize Erdogan’s grip on power.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-arrests-3-mayors-in-crackdown-on-opposition/a-73166013