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Turkey arrests dozens, including opposition party members

2025-05-31 20:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Turkey arrests dozens, including opposition party members

Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of dozens of people facing corruption charges, including members of opposition parties, in Istanbul and the city of Adana.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office issued detention orders for 47 people and detained 30 others including local mayors and Istanbul officials.

This is the fifth wave of arrests against political opponents of the government, starting with the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, considered President Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, in March.

Turkey's government has rejected claims of political interference, insisting that the judiciary is independent.

Imamoglu sent a letter from prison to an opposition rally on Saturday, saying: "It is time to say 'enough' to this unjust and illegal order."

"Now you are taking our mayors under fictitious excuses. What are you going to do? Where are you going to stop? Are you going to throw 16 million Istanbul residents into prison one by one?" he said in the letter.

Imamoglu is part of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which has led in many polls against Erdogan's Justice and Development Party.

He was imprisoned on charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group. He has denied all charges.

His arrest sparked protests and mass arrests across Turkey. The Istanbul prosecutor's office said 819 people arrested in the protests will be tried in 20 criminal investigations.

About 110 people were arrested in the first four waves of arrests on corruption charges.

Saturday's fifth wave consisted of four separate operations in two cities. Mayors, CHP party members and city officials were among those arrested.

CHP Party Assembly Member Baki Aydöner wrote on X that he was in Ankara for a party meeting when his wife called him and told him that his house had been searched and that there was a detention order against him. He said he was going to Istanbul.

The UN human rights office said in March it was "deeply concerned" about the mass arrests, with Amnesty International calling the detentions "draconian actions" at the time./ CNA





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