Three opposition party mayors detained in Turkey: what are they accused of?
Kyiv • UNN
Three mayors from the opposition Republican People's Party have been detained in Turkey on charges of organized crime, bribery, and abuse of office. Among those detained are the mayors of Adiyaman, Adana, and Antalya.
In Turkey, three mayors, who are representatives of the opposition Republican People's Party, have been detained. This was reported by Associated Press, informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that ten people, including the mayors of Adıyaman Abdurrahman Tutdere and Adana Zeydan Karalar, were detained on charges of organized crime, bribery, and abuse of office. In a separate case, the head of Antalya, Muhittin Böcek, and two other people were detained. They are accused of bribery.
This year, officials from the Republican People's Party have faced waves of arrests, which many consider aimed at neutralizing Turkey's main opposition party. The government insists on the independence of the prosecutor's office and the judiciary, but the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu led to the largest street protests Turkey has seen in over ten years
The media indicates that the Turkish prosecutor's office did not specify the details of the new cases.
Recall
On March 19, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained on charges including corruption and aiding terrorists. The opposition called it an attempted coup against the future president.
İmamoğlu's arrest caused a wave of protests across Turkey. Over 1,000 people, including ten journalists, were detained.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the protests over the imprisonment of the Istanbul mayor became a "movement of violence" and that the opposition Republican People's Party, led by him, would be held accountable for injuries to police officers and property damage.