A court in Turkey has jailed 18 Istanbul municipality employees on corruption charges pending trial, amid a broader crackdown on opposition figures, including jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, who leads him in polls, was jailed in March pending trial over corruption charges. He also faces charges of aiding a terrorist group.
The mayor has denied all charges, and his arrest triggered the largest protests in a decade, economic turmoil and accusations of a politicised judiciary. The government rejects those claims and says the judiciary is independent.
Broadcaster NTV said 34 of the total 52 people who were detained over the weekend under investigation were released with judicial restrictions.
Turkey’s media had reported on Saturday that authorities detained dozens of Istanbul municipality employees as part of legal probes focused on Imamoglu, expanding a crackdown on the main opposition that began late last year.
Those detained included the municipality’s secretary general, Imamoglu’s chief of staff, the chairman and deputy chairman of the municipality’s water and sewerage administration (ISKI), and a department head at ISKI.
Protests After Imamoglu’s Arrest
Following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkey has witnessed widespread protests, a heavy police crackdown, and a surge in arrests, all indicative of growing political unrest.
Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure, was arrested and sentenced to prison over charges related to insulting election officials, a conviction many view as politically motivated.
His arrest has ignited protests in major cities, particularly in Istanbul and Ankara, with demonstrators condemning what they see as the erosion of democracy and the suppression of political opposition under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration.
The protests have been met with force by the police, who have deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, and barricades to disperse crowds.
Many opposition leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens have been detained in the wake of the protests, sparking further outrage across the nation.
Human rights groups have decried the government’s tactics as oppressive, while calling for the immediate release of Imamoglu and others who have been arrested.
(With inputs from Reuters)
