3 mayors arrested in southern Turkey as part of crackdown on opposition
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3 mayors arrested in southern Turkey as part of crackdown on opposition
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Allie D Lois Neely, 82 March 2, 1943 ~ June 15 Allie D Lois Neely, 82 March 2, 1943 ~ June 15 Mrs. Allie D Lois Neely, 82, of Cookeville, passed away at Cookeville Regional Hospital in Cookeville Sunday, June 15. She was born Tuesday, March 2, …
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Turkey detains three more mayors as part of crackdown on opposition
The arrests were linked to an investigation into alleged graft which resulted in the removal in March of Istanbul’s powerful opposition mayor. The arrests were the latest move targeting elected officials of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) The pro-Kurdish DEM party, the third largest in Turkey’s parliament, also denounced the arrests in a strongly-worded statement. Earlier this week, police arrested more than 120 people as part of a probe into allegedly graft in the opposition stronghold of Izmir, Turkey’s third city. The latest detainees were based in southern Turkey: mayor of the southern city of Adana, Zeydan Karalar, mayor of Antalya, Muhittin Bocek, and the mayor of Adiyaman in the southeast, Abdurrahman Tutdere.
Turkey arrested three more opposition mayors early on Saturday as part of an investigation into alleged graft, officials from the main opposition CHP said, denouncing it as a “political operation”.
The early morning arrests were the latest move targeting elected officials of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan puts increasing pressure on the party which won a huge victory against his AKP in the 2024 local elections and is rising in the polls.
The arrests were linked to an investigation into alleged graft which resulted in the removal in March of Istanbul’s powerful opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, whose jailing sparked mass protests in Turkey’s worst street unrest since 2013.
Imamoglu is Erdogan’s biggest political rival and the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
Earlier this week, police arrested more than 120 people as part of a probe into alleged graft in the opposition stronghold of Izmir, Turkey’s third city.
Read moreTurkey arrests more than 120 city hall members in opposition stronghold Izmir
The latest detainees were based in southern Turkey: mayor of the southern city of Adana, Zeydan Karalar, mayor of the resort town of Antalya, Muhittin Bocek, and the mayor of Adiyaman in the southeast, Abdurrahman Tutdere.
“In a system where the law bends and sways according to politics, where justice is applied for one group and ignored for another, no one should expect us to trust in the rule of law or believe in justice,” wrote Mansur Yavas on X, opposition mayor of Ankara, Turkey’s capital.
“We will not bow to injustice, lawlessness, or political operations.”
The pro-Kurdish DEM party, the third largest in Turkey’s parliament, also denounced the arrests in a strongly-worded statement.
‘Stop persecuting elected officials’
“This persecution of elected officials must stop,” wrote DEM co-president Tulay Hatimogullari on X.
“Not respecting the decisions of the people at the ballot box and not recognising the will of the people is causing deep rifts within society,” she wrote.
“These operations are not a solution, but block the road to a democratic Turkey.”
DEM has in recent months been working closely with Erdogan’s government to facilitate moves to end the decades-long conflict with the Kurds, facilitating talks which in May saw Kurdish PKK militants ending their bloody armed struggle in a conflict that cost nearly 40,000 lives.
Read morePKK leader accuses Turkish government of ‘seeking to sabotage’ disarmament process
Saturday’s arrests were the latest in a slew of legal manoeuvres targeting the CHP.
On Monday, an Ankara court began hearing a case against the party involving allegations of vote-buying at its 2023 leadership primary which could end up overturning the election of CHP’s popular leader Ozgur Ozel, who rose to prominence for his role in leading the March protests.
Anadolu news agency said the Adana and Adiyaman mayors were linked to a case opened by the Istanbul public prosecutors office into alleged tender rigging and bribery.
Police also arrested the deputy mayor of Istanbul’s Buyukcekmece district Ahmet Sahin as part of the same probe, BirGun news website said.
Antalya’s mayor was held over a separate investigation launched by the resort town’s chief public prosecutor into allegations of bribery, with police also arresting his son, it said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Turkey arrests 3 mayors in crackdown on opposition – DW – 07
Turkish authorities have launched a major crackdown, arresting hundreds of members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), including 11 mayors. The highest profile arrest was of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — the main challenger of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule. Imamoglu was jailed in March, sparking the largest public protests in a decade. The CHP broadly denies the charges against its officials, which also include organized crime, bribery and tender rigging. The party says the investigations are politically motivated, aimed at neutralizing the party’s threat to Erdogan’s rule. The government denies that the crackdown is linked to the CHP’s huge victory against Erdogan’s AKP in the 2024 local elections.
Turkey detained three more mayors from the main opposition party on Saturday, according to a prosecutor’s statement and media reports.
Over the past few months, Turkish authorities have launched a major crackdown, arresting hundreds of members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), including 11 mayors.
The highest profile arrest was of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — the main challenger of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule.
Imamoglu was jailed in March, sparking the largest public protests in a decade.
What do we know about the arrests?
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the mayors of three big southern cities were detained on allegations of extortion, along with eight other people.
Those held were the mayors of the southern city of Adana, the southern resort town of Antalya and the southeastern town of Adiyaman, CHP party officials said.
“Our Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek and Adiyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere have been detained,” Mansur Yavas, the mayor of Ankara, Turkey’s capital, wrote on X.
Broadcaster NTV said the men were detained as part of the broader investigation in which hundreds of CHP members, including 11 mayors, have been targeted since October.
Erdogan’s main political rival, Imamoglu, remains in jail awaiting trial on corruption charges that he denies.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu awaits trial on charges his supporters say are trumped up Image: Yasin Akgul/AFP
More arrests this week
Earlier this week, the former CHP mayor of Izmir, Tunc Soyer and 137 municipal officials were detained over alleged tender-rigging and fraud.
On Friday, Soyer and 59 others were jailed pending trial in what Soyer’s lawyer described as “a clearly unjust, unlawful and politically motivated decision.”
State-run media reported Friday that the CHP mayor of Manavgat, a Mediterranean resort city in Antalya province, and 34 others were detained over alleged corruption.
The CHP broadly denies the charges against its officials, which also include organized crime, bribery and tender rigging. The party says the investigations are politically motivated, aimed at neutralizing the party’s threat to Erdogan.
Government denies involvement
The government insists that prosecutors and the judiciary act independently and denies that the crackdown is linked to the CHP’s huge victory against Erdogan’s AKP in the 2024 local elections.
Following his jailing, the CHP nominated Imamoglu as its presidential candidate for the 2028 election, which could be held earlier.
Erdogan is struggling to maintain public support following accusations of steering Turkey toward authoritarianism. The country continues to face an economic crisis that has caused high inflation and devalued the lira.
Edited by: Kieran Burke