Istanbul: Europe and the Arabs
Protests that erupted last Wednesday following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu continued, with police raiding his residence at dawn as authorities investigate corruption and terrorism allegations.
A Turkish court issued an official arrest warrant for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in the early hours of Sunday, ordering his remand in custody pending his trial on corruption charges. According to what was reported by the Brussels-based Euronews website, the prosecutor's office said the court decided to imprison İmamoğlu on suspicion of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data, and manipulating tenders.
Despite the ongoing prosecution, the court rejected a request to imprison Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on terrorism-related charges. The prosecutor's office charged the opposition politician with supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The court stated that "although there are strong suspicions that (Imam Oglu) provided support to an armed terrorist organization, given the previous arrest warrant issued against him on financial charges, there is no need to detain him at this stage due to these suspicions."
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was transferred to Silivri Prison, west of Istanbul, in accordance with the court's order. 47 other people were also remanded in custody alongside İmamoğlu, including a senior aide and the mayors of the Istanbul districts of Beylikdüzü and Şişli.
The Interior Ministry later announced that İmamoğlu had been suspended from his duties "as a temporary measure." His replacement is scheduled to be appointed through internal elections within the municipal councils, where İmamoğlu's Republican People's Party (CHP) holds a majority.
Protests Continue for Fifth Night
Crowds gathered outside the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building for the fifth consecutive day, in protests that have continued since İmamoğlu's arrest on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets daily to protest, demanding the immediate release of the mayor. They accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of systematically targeting Ekrem İmamoğlu for political reasons.
The opposition politician, considered one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's most prominent political rivals, was expected to be nominated as the Republican People's Party's (CHP) presidential candidate during the party's first primary on Sunday. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2028.
Clashes erupted when protesters threw flares and stones at riot police deployed in the area, prompting police to use pepper spray to disperse the crowds.
These arrests came a day after hundreds of thousands demonstrated outside the courthouse where Ekrem İmamoğlu was questioned on Saturday.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrest of 323 people during Saturday's protests, vowing to implement a "zero tolerance" policy against anyone who threatens the "safety and security of the people" or "provokes or incites chaos." Erdoğan's Counterattack
On Saturday, just hours before the court formally issued an arrest warrant for Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the unfolding internal crisis.
In a speech at an iftar banquet marking the holy month of Ramadan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on the Republican People's Party (CHP) not to exert any pressure on the Turkish judiciary during the ongoing investigations into possible crimes related to corruption and terrorism.
"If you have the courage, let democracy and the law take their course," Erdoğan said. "If you have the courage, let the courts issue their decisions on behalf of the Turkish people without any interference or pressure."
CHP Primaries - "Solidarity Vote"
He also directed his criticism at the CHP, accusing it of inciting violence and lawlessness. He reiterated that no one in Turkey is outside the law and said that no "privileged minority" is free to commit crimes. Erdoğan also pledged zero tolerance for party members who disrupt civil order and create unnecessary divisions among the population of 86 million.
He said, "Whatever the opposition does, we will not deviate from common sense, patience, and peace. Our municipalities will serve the people without engaging in corruption."
Erdoğan also criticized the opposition party and its leader, Özgür Özel, asserting that the CHP would not be viewed as a political organization until it was rid of "thieves and plunderers." He described the party as a party run by a leadership "blind by money."
The formal arrest of the Istanbul mayor came as the opposition CHP launched its primary elections to choose its candidate for the upcoming presidential election, with more than 1.7 million members voting in favor of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the only potential challenger to Erdoğan in 2028.
The party also organized symbolic ballot boxes across the country to enable non-party members to express their support for the mayor. Large crowds began arriving early Sunday to participate in the "solidarity vote." "This is no longer just a problem of the CHP, but a problem of Turkish democracy," said Fusun Erben, 69, at a polling station in Istanbul's Kadıköy district. "We will not accept that our rights be usurped so easily. We will fight until the end."