ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities have arrested dozens of opposition figures, including municipal mayors and officials aligned with the Republican People’s Party (CHP), as part of what critics are calling a sweeping crackdown on dissent. The latest detentions mark the fifth wave of arrests targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political rivals, following the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in March.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday issued detention orders for 47 individuals, confirming that 30 have already been taken into custody. The arrests occurred in Istanbul and the southern city of Adana, and include CHP members and local government officials.
The operation is part of an intensifying series of legal actions that critics say are designed to neutralize Erdogan’s strongest opponents ahead of looming political contests. Among the detained are several municipal mayors, reinforcing growing concerns about a targeted campaign against the CHP, Turkey’s main opposition party.
Mayor Imamoglu, widely considered Erdogan’s most formidable rival, was sentenced earlier this year on charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist organization—allegations he vehemently denies. His arrest sparked mass protests across Turkey, with thousands demanding his release and condemning what they describe as politically motivated prosecutions.
In a letter read aloud at an opposition rally on Saturday, Imamoglu declared:
“It is time to say ‘enough is enough’ to this unjust and unlawful order… Are you going to throw 16 million Istanbulites in jail one by one?”
Authorities have defended the arrests, insisting the judiciary operates independently and denying any political interference. Still, observers have raised alarms over the pattern of detentions. Since Imamoglu’s jailing, over 110 individuals have been arrested on various charges, with 819 protesters set to face trials in 20 criminal investigations, according to Istanbul prosecutors.
Saturday’s fifth wave of arrests comprised four coordinated operations across Istanbul and Adana, netting additional CHP members and local officials. CHP Party Assembly member Baki Aydöner revealed on social media that he was in Ankara when his wife informed him of a search warrant and detention order issued against him.
International rights organizations have condemned the ongoing clampdown. In March, the United Nations Human Rights Office expressed being “very concerned” about Turkey’s growing number of political arrests, while Amnesty International labeled the detentions “draconian actions” aimed at silencing political dissent.
Despite these warnings, Erdogan’s government maintains that the actions are lawful and necessary to combat corruption and protect national security. However, critics warn that the latest moves may further erode democratic institutions and intensify political polarization in Turkey.
bbc.com
