Turkey arrests 37 more as protests continue over Imamoglu's detention
As Turkey’s opposition parties rally in solidarity with Istanbul's mayor, Turkish authorities have moved forward with more detentions.
ANKARA — As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke his silence on the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, tens of thousands of supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) gathered outside Istanbul’s city hall for a second night in a show of solidarity against his arrest.
Imamoglu, who was detained on Wednesday morning over accusations of terrorism and corruption, remained in police custody on Thursday.
While opposition voices both within Turkey and internationally have slammed the charges as politically motivated in targeting a key rival of Erdogan and potential presidential contender, Turkish officials have dismissed the criticism. Breaking his more than 24 hours of silence on Thursday, Erdogan dismissed accusations of political interference in the judiciary.
“If they were to say that there is no theft, corruption, irregularities, injustice, dark and complicated relationships in the municipality … we could discuss and debate that,” Erdogan said during a televised speech in Ankara. “But they’re not saying that; they can’t. Because they themselves know best that all of it, and much more, is true and real.”
Due to a confidentiality order surrounding the investigation, the details of the detention process remain unclear. However, Turkish media outlets, citing unnamed police sources, reported that Imamoglu’s statement had not yet been taken as of Thursday morning.
Despite a four-day demonstration ban in Istanbul, tens of thousands of people gathered in the Sarachane district near Istanbul's city hall for a second day.
A brief skirmish erupted between the crowd and the police when some protesters attempted to march to Istanbul's central Taksim Square but were blocked by authorities.
Peaceful protests were also held in other Turkish provinces including Ankara and Izmir.
In addition to more than 100 people including Imamoglu and two CHP district mayors on Wednesday, Turkish police detained 37 more people over allegedly provocative social media posts on Thursday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
Opposition parties rally behind Imamoglu
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, who spent Wednesday night at the city hall, called on the city's residents to gather outside in solidarity with Imamoglu.
Earlier on Thursday, Ozel hosted a number of opposition officials including from Turkey's third-largest party and pro-Kurdish People's Democracy and Equality Party, former Erdogan ally and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s Gelecek (Future) Party and officials from the nationalist Iyi Party.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, who was abroad at the time of Imamoglu’s detention, also returned to Turkey on Thursday. Speaking to reporters outside the building, Yavas expressed his support for Imamoglu’s presidential bid during the CHP primary set for Sunday.
Yavas, who is also seen as a key rival of Erdogan, announced on Wednesday that he had shelved his presidential bid in solidarity with Imamoglu.
Pushback from Erdogan's ruling party
Erdogan’s ruling party has responded to the accusations of political motives behind the arrests.
On Thursday Omer Celik, spokesperson for Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), accused the CHP of using the detention of Imamoglu and other detainees as a pretext to target AKP and Erdogan.
Ozel “should have something to say regarding these accusations,” Celik told reporters in an Ankara press conference.
“Attacking our president and attacking us to cover these [accusations] up and avoid addressing the questions will not be enough,” he added.
