Turkish prosecutors go to court demanding that the mayor of Istanbul be taken into custody

In Turkey, a high-profile political scandal continues around the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, an opposition politician and representative of the “Republican People’s Party” (CHP), who is considered one of the main competitors of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish prosecutors have formally appealed to the court to take Imamoglu and four of his aides into custody before the start of the trial on charges of terrorism and corruption. About this informs Reuters.

The detention of Istanbul’s mayor sparked a wave of protests across the country. Thousands of people took to the streets, considering Imamoglu’s detention to be politically motivated and contrary to democratic principles. The participants of the protest actions claim that the persecution of the opposition leader is aimed at weakening his position before the possible presidential elections.

Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday on charges that include abuse of power and cooperation with a terrorist organization. The politician categorically rejected all accusations against him, calling them slander. He stated that the case against him is part of a planned campaign by the authorities aimed at discrediting him and removing him from the political arena.

The court is expected to rule on Imamoglu’s possible arrest on Sunday morning. Under Turkish law, in the event of an arrest on terrorism charges, the government will have the right to appoint an interim municipal manager instead of an elected mayor.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the protests, which have been going on for several days, covered Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other major cities. Thousands of people gathered near the Istanbul City Hall and the main court. Police fired tear gas and pepper bullets to disperse the crowd. In response, protesters threw firecrackers and other objects at law enforcement officers.

Particularly fierce clashes occurred in the coastal province of Izmir and in Ankara, where mass demonstrations continued for the third night in a row. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. According to official data released by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ali Yerlikai, as of Sunday morning, law enforcement officers have detained 323 protesters.

“No attempt to disrupt public order will be tolerated,” – said the Minister of Internal Affairs of Turkey, commenting on the events.

At the same time, the Republican People’s Party strongly condemned the actions of the authorities, calling the detention of its representative political persecution. The party said in a statement that such moves are an attempt by the authorities to remove a strong opposition leader ahead of the elections. The party called on its supporters to act exclusively peacefully and within the law.

The Turkish government rejects allegations of political interference in Imamoglu’s case and insists that the investigation and the court are acting independently.

54-year-old Ekrem Imamoglu, according to the results of some sociological surveys, is already ahead of Erdogan in terms of support. He was supposed to become the official candidate of his party in the upcoming presidential elections, and his detention is seen by many as an attempt by the authorities to stop the rise of his popularity.

According to the current legislation of Turkey, the next presidential election should be held in 2028. However, in order for Erdoğan, who has already been elected president twice after many years as prime minister, to be able to run for a third time, either early elections or changes to the Constitution are necessary.

On Saturday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Republican People’s Party of trying to provoke the population and organize riots. He stated that the authorities will not allow vandalism and disorder in the streets. According to him, those who violate the law will be held accountable. Erdogan also stressed that the investigation against Imamoglu should be completed within the framework of the country’s current legislation.