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Türkiye has witnessed a wave of arrests targeting more than 500 opponents of President Erdogan, including municipal heads of the Republican People's Party, in light of the authority's accusations of using the judiciary to liquidate its political opponents. At a time when the government denies the charges and confirms that investigations are legal and target corruption. According to the European News Network in Brussels, "Euronews", adding, "Türkiye is witnessing an unprecedented wave of arrests targeting leaders and members of the opposition Republican People's Party, according to Reuters. 
The campaign resulted in the arrest and interrogation of more than 500 people in just nine months, in a move that was described as the largest in decades against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's opponents.
The campaign, which was launched in October 2024 from Istanbul, has gradually expanded to include major cities such as Izmir, Antalya, Adana and Daaman, cities in which the Republican People's Party won in the recent municipal elections.
According to the agency's investigation, the campaign affected 14 elected mayors, including the prominent mayor of Istanbul, Ikram Imamoglu, who is considered the most prominent political competitor of Erdogan. Imamoglu faces accusations of corruption, which he strongly denies, and says it is "an attempt to discredit his political reputation and keep him away from the electoral scene."
Despite his continued reserve since last March, opinion polls still show his progress against Erdogan in any possible presidential elections.
"Octopus" .. Erdogan's description of the accused network
President Erdogan, in previous statements, likened what he called the "corruption network" to "the octopus whose arms extend to the rest of Türkiye and abroad," stressing that "corruption must be rooted in its roots."
The government defended the investigations, noting that it is "legal" and caused by "proven abuses", and has no political motives.
But the opposition sees the matter differently. The Republican People's Party considers that the systematic targeting of its representatives in the municipalities is a "organized attempt to the democratic opposition", especially since the investigations did not include any municipality of the Justice and Development Party, which the opposition deems to be an indication of "disturbing judicial selectivity."
Erdogan opponents in the targeting circle
According to Reuters, the number of detainees in this campaign has reached more than 500 people, including at least 220 under detention or house arrest. The charges varied between financial corruption, money laundering, and association with illegal organizations. The investigation also included the interrogation of businessmen and contractors working with opposition municipalities, some of whom were placed under judicial control.
Although the government denied targeting a specific party, the Turkish Communications Directorate published a list of previous corruption cases that affected the heads of former municipalities from the Justice and Development Party, stressing that "the law is applied to everyone." However, the review by "Reuters" revealed that no investigations were opened against the municipalities of the ruling party in Istanbul.