US EditionInternational Report - Crackdown on Turkish Opposition Intensifies, with Further Arrests of Mayors
ADANA, TURKEY, JUL 8 – Several opposition mayors have been detained or placed under house arrest amid a corruption probe, with all denying charges and the Interior Ministry suspending Karalar from duty.
- Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to Erdogan and CHP’s presidential contender, was jailed on corruption charges on March 19, 2025.
- This arrest followed a broader judicial crackdown launched by the ruling party since Imamoglu’s detention to block the CHP from gaining power through elections.
- The campaign included detaining dozens of CHP officials and mayors from cities like Adiyaman, Adana, and Antalya amid corruption probes, prompting nationwide protests and media restrictions.
- More than 100 people were detained along with Imamoglu, sparking Turkey’s largest protests since 2013, while Sozcu TV faced a 10-day ban for its protest coverage.
- The crackdown triggered criticism from opposition parties, rights groups, and journalists who view these actions as politically motivated attempts to suppress dissent ahead of future elections.
23 Articles
23 Articles
International report - Crackdown on Turkish opposition intensifies, with further arrests of mayors
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is warning that the future of democracy in the country is at stake, as a legal crackdown against it intensifies. This month has seen three more city mayors arrested in anti-corruption probes, while half of CHP parliamentary deputies are facing having their legal immunity lifted.
In Turkey, one mayor is arrested after another. A visit to the CHP headquarters, the center of the Turkish opposition, which no longer wants to adapt to the political system of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Temelli: Turkish democracy depends on a democratic solution to the Kurdish question
Operations and investigations targeting municipalities governed by the Republican People's Party (CHP) have been ongoing since October 2024. To date, 15 mayors have been arrested, including Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek, and Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar. Following the arrests, the Ministry of the Interior appointed trustees to two municipalities. In ten others, CHP municipal coun…
The mayor of the small town of Sile belongs to the opposition Republican Party – The reasons for the arrest have not yet been revealed
Turkiye's Political Seismic Shift: Arrests of Opposition Mayors Spark Outcry
Three major opposition mayors in southern Turkiye have been arrested, indicating an escalating crackdown on the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Accusations of organized crime and bribery accompany these detentions amid a backdrop of increasing political tension. The government asserts judiciary independence, yet critics cite political motivations.
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