Turkish police have detained the mayor of Istanbul, a prominent opposition leader and archrival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and several other prominent figures as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and terrorism links.
The arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu was a clear sign of the government's ongoing crackdown on opposition and dissent in the country.
Prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for Imamoglu and about 100 others, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Among those detained was a close aide to the mayor, Murat Ongun.
Authorities also closed several roads in Istanbul and banned demonstrations for four days, apparently to avoid protests after the arrest.
NTV reported that two Istanbul district mayors were among those detained.
Critics say the crackdown follows significant defeats for Erdogan's ruling party in local elections last year, which has fuelled calls for early national elections.
Government officials stress the independence of the judiciary and reject accusations that the trials of opposition figures are politically motivated.
Germany expressed displeasure at the arrests, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer describing them as “a serious step backwards for democracy.”
Later on Wednesday, people gathered outside Istanbul's police headquarters, carrying posters of the mayor and banners with his photo. Others chanted slogans and raised their fists as riot police cordoned off the building.
The arrest took place during a search of Imamoglu's home, but it is unclear whether police seized anything at the scene.
The mayor's wife, Dilek Imamoglu, told Now TV that police arrived at their home before dawn and that the mayor was detained at around 7:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. GMT).
The Istanbul Stock Exchange's main index fell 7% on news of the mayor's arrest, prompting a temporary halt in trading to prevent panic selling and stabilize the market.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
