Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, thought-about the largest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March and subsequently imprisoned. File | Photo Credit: AP

Turkish police arrested 44 folks Friday (August 15, 2025) within the Opposition stronghold of Istanbul, together with the mayor of the central district of Beyoglu and a number of other of his shut advisers, the Anadolu information company reported.

The newest wave of arrests, over alleged corruption, is a part of a months-long crackdown concentrating on the principle Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, thought-about the largest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March and subsequently imprisoned.

His arrest sparked protests within the nation on a scale not seen in additional than a decade.

CHP chief Ozgur Ozel wrote on X on Friday (August 15, 2025) that, in “149 days, the judiciary has not managed to supply an indictment”.

“Because they solely have slanderous accusations like ‘I heard that’,” he added.

Ozel referred to as the wave of arrests “vengeance which goals to cowl up the harm prompted (to the nation) by the AKP gang” of Erdogan, who has been in energy since 2022.

Also learn: Turkey Opposition crackdown spreads to Izmir with 157 detentions

In addition to Imamoglu and the mayor of Beyoglu, Inan Guney, 9 of Istanbul’s 26 CHP district mayors have been arrested and imprisoned since October, most of them on corruption expenses which they deny.

CHP mayors from quite a few different cities have additionally been arrested.

According to analysts, the federal government is trying to undermine the CHP, which emerged because the clear winner in native elections within the spring of 2024 on the expense of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

Published – August 15, 2025 11:38 pm IST

Post Views: 29