Imamoglu in custody: protests in Turkey swell against Erdoğan!

Imamoglu in custody: protests in Turkey swell against Erdoğan!

The political situation in Turkey has thrown itself back after the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was detained on Sunday for bribes. This arrest has led to the greatest anti-government protests, such as Associated Press

international echo and resistance

The US government has followed the arrest of Imamoglu and the associated protests. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concerns about Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and emphasized that the United States was closely observing developments in Turkey. However, these diplomatic statements are not heard in Ankara, where the Rubios government rejects views and argues that there have been no concerns in conversation.

In addition to the political repression around Imamoglu, there is an increasing number of arrests and violence against political opponents and activists in Turkey. The situation has further intensified since the failed coup attempt in 2016, and many prominent opposition figures such as Selahattin Demirtas and Osman Kavala are still in custody.

erosion of freedom under Erdoğan

The political landscape in Turkey has changed significantly under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which has been ruled continuously since 2002. Erdoğan, who founded the Party for Justice and Development (AKP) in 2001, initially promised progress in combating poverty and corruption. However, democratic freedoms in the country have been increasingly circumcised since 2011.

Freedom of the press and expression in Turkey was massively restricted, with an estimated 95% of the media under direct or indirect state control, as the Federal Center reports. He Erdoğan has strengthened control over digital media through laws and measures, which have been censored for rigorous censor since the last municipal elections in 2019.

The question remains how the political situation and the associated protests will affect the upcoming presidential elections and to what extent the international community will continue to react to developments in Turkey.