Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was ordered to jail pending trial after a Turkish court's ruling linked him to corruption charges. His arrest came amidst nationwide protests, with Imamoglu urging demonstrators to resist what he calls an attack on democracy. Although faced with serious allegations, the court opted against terror charges, allowing the municipal council to remain under opposition control while highlighting the political manipulations at play. This situation signals ongoing tensions between Imamoglu's Republican People's Party and President Erdogan's administration.
In his first response after the court ruling, Imamoglu said that he will not bow down. We will, hand in hand, uproot this blow, this black stain on our democracy.
Imamoglu described the legal process over his detention as a complete extrajudicial execution which meant a betrayal against Turkey.
The court determined that while there is suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organisation, it decided that Imamoglu's arrest for financial crimes was sufficient.
Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu reported that the absence of terror charges against Imamoglu implies no appointment of a government trustee to Istanbul.
Collection
[
|
...
]