Turkish police on Wednesday arrested Istanbul’s mayor – a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and terror links, media reports said.
It was a dramatic escalation in an ongoing crackdown by the government on the opposition and dissenting voices.
The state-run Anadolu Agency said prosecutors issued detention warrants for the mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and some 100 other people. Among those detained was Imamoglu’s close aid, Murat Ongun.
Authorities closed several roads around Istanbul and banned demonstrations in the city for four days in an apparent effort to prevent protests following the arrest.
Critics say the crackdown follows significant losses by Erdogan’s ruling party in local elections in March amid growing calls for early national elections. Government officials insist that the courts operate independently and reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.
The arrest came during a search of Imamoglu’s home, but it was not immediately clear if police confiscated anything at the site.
