Imamoglu arrested: protests against Erdogan's authoritarian government!

Imamoglu arrested: protests against Erdogan's authoritarian government!

In a dramatic turning point in Turkish politics, Ekrem was arrested this morning Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and potential challengers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This happened just a few days before his planned nomination as a presidential candidate for the social democratic CHP for the upcoming elections. Imamoglu is suspected of supporting terror against the government and other serious allegations ranging from corruption to extortion. This has triggered immediate reactions, including the arrest of at least 87 other people in the context of an extensive raid, as reported by the state news agency Anadolu.

massive protests and police operations

The CHP has organized nationwide protests to mobilize against the arrest, which is regarded by the Istanbul government as an attempt by a coup d'état. As vienna.at , hundreds of students near the Istanbul University gathered, where there were confrontations with the police Tear gas used to dispel the crowd and build barricades. The police had previously imposed a ban on demonstration by March 23, but the protesters ignored this and demanded the release of Imamoglu.

The Turkish Minister of Justice Yilmaz Tunc condemned the protest calls and emphasized that the defense imamoglus should not take place on the street but in the courtroom. The government sees a threat to the public order in the protests and coup rhetoric and has restricted the use of social media to communicate the protests, such as Zeit.de has.

The population is applied and is characterized by the feeling that this represents a further step back for democracy. The arrested opposition figures are facing a number of allegations that await memories of previous political arrests in Turkey. These events could have far -reaching consequences for the political landscape of Türkiye, since Imamoglus is considered a sting for Erdogan's base of power. Observers fear that this could lead to further repression against dissenters and that the already tense political situation could further escalate.