In response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, authorities in Turkey arrested 343 individuals during overnight protests across more than a dozen cities, as stated by the Interior Ministry on Saturday. The detentions occurred in cities including Istanbul, the capital Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Konya, and others.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya emphasized via social media that there would be no tolerance for actions that disturb social order, endanger citizens’ peace and security, or provoke chaos.
Since Wednesday, when Imamoglu was arrested under allegations of ties to corruption and terrorism, tens of thousands of Turks have participated in mostly peaceful demonstrations. According to the AFP news agency, protests have taken place in at least 55 out of Turkey’s 81 provinces. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that authorities would not permit public order to be disrupted and pledged not to succumb to vandalism or street terrorism.
Additionally, Turkish police detained 56 individuals accused of inciting unrest through provocative social media posts. Detention warrants were issued for 94 suspects in total, accused of creating public panic through their posts. Simultaneous raids were conducted, leading to the detention of 56 people and the seizure of illicit drugs from their residences, as reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Turkey’s opposition figure and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is viewed as a significant challenger to Erdogan, was interrogated by the police for four hours regarding the corruption allegations, during which he denied all charges. More questioning related to the terrorism investigation is expected later on Saturday at the Caglayan courthouse.
Imamoglu’s arrest occurred just before his expected nomination as the presidential candidate for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Other notable figures, including two district mayors, have also been detained. The government has denied claims that the trials of opposition figures are politically motivated, asserting the independence of Turkey’s judicial system.
Edited by Darko Janjevic
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-arrests-hundreds-after-istanbul-mayor-protests/a-72005251?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
