A prosecutor in Turkiye has ordered the detention of 48 individuals, including the opposition-run Bayrampasa district mayor in Istanbul, as part of a corruption probe, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Saturday.
The police carried out early morning raids at 72 locations to seize documents and detain suspects on charges including embezzlement, bribery, and tender rigging, according to TRT Haber.
In a post on X, Bayrampasa Mayor Hasan Mutlu, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said he had nothing to hide and called the investigation “a political operation based on unfounded slander”.
The detentions come amidst a nearly year-long crackdown on the CHP and CHP-run municipalities, in which hundreds of party members have been arrested and jailed.
A court ruling due on Monday could remove the leader of the CHP in a case widely seen as a test of the country’s fragile balance between democratic institutions and centralised power, increasing the legal pressure on the party.
Intensified Opposition Crackdown
Turkiye is witnessing a deepening political crisis after authorities intensified their crackdown on opposition leaders, arresting several high-profile figures under corruption charges.
The most significant development came with the detention of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading opposition voice and one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most prominent challengers.
Imamoglu’s arrest not only heightened political tensions but also triggered massive protests across the country, underscoring the growing discontent with the government’s tightening grip on dissent.
Thousands of demonstrators poured onto the streets of Istanbul, Ankara, and other major cities, waving flags and chanting slogans against what they described as politically motivated charges.
Police responded with water cannons, tear gas, and mass detentions, further inflaming public anger.
The scale of the protests highlighted Imamoglu’s symbolic importance as a figure who had defeated Erdogan’s party in local elections, breaking the ruling party’s decades-long dominance over Istanbul.
The government has defended the arrests, insisting that they are part of an anti-corruption drive.
However, critics argue that the move is a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of future elections. Human rights groups have also condemned the crackdown, warning that Turkiye’s democratic institutions are being systematically eroded under the guise of legal proceedings.
(With inputs from Reuters)
