Turkey’s government has warned against “illegal” calls for street protests from the main opposition following the detention of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Thousands have demonstrated across the country, resulting in dozens of detentions and injuries to police officers. Imamoglu, a political rival of President Erdogan, was detained on charges including graft and aiding a terrorist group. The opposition party has condemned the move as politically motivated, prompting calls for lawful protests. European leaders have criticized the detention as a sign of democratic regression.
Government officials have criticized the opposition’s calls for action as irresponsible during a ban on public gatherings. They have emphasized the importance of the judiciary in handling legal matters and urged for calm. Erdogan dismissed the opposition’s criticism as theatrics and distractions from their own mistakes. Despite the government’s attempts to crack down on civil disobedience, protests have erupted in major cities.
Imamoglu’s detention is part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures, aimed at stifling dissent and weakening their electoral prospects. The mayor’s party has called for resistance and vowed to resist any attempts to remove him from office. With possible replacement looming, the party remains defiant. Imamoglu’s detention came after his university degree was annulled, potentially barring him from running for president in the future. The situation has sparked a significant escalation of tensions between the government and the opposition in Turkey.
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