Turkey Cracks Down on Journalists Amid Protests Over Istanbul Mayor's Imprisonment

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-03-24 08:56:33 |

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Turkish authorities have detained several journalists amid growing protests over the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a major political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The detentions, reported by the Disk-Basin-Is media workers' union, took place on Monday and were described as an attack on press freedom. The union condemned the arrests, stating that silencing journalists would not suppress the truth, and called for their immediate release. The government has not issued any official comments regarding the detentions.

The unrest began last week after a court ordered the imprisonment of Imamoglu on corruption charges, triggering the largest wave of street protests in Turkey in more than a decade. Many believe that his arrest is politically motivated, aimed at preventing him from challenging Erdogan in the next presidential election scheduled for 2028. Government officials, however, deny these claims and assert that the judiciary operates independently.

Imamoglu faces accusations of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data, and bid-rigging. He has denied all allegations. A request to charge him with terrorism-related offenses was rejected, but he still faces legal proceedings. Following his arrest, Turkey’s Interior Ministry announced that Imamoglu had been temporarily suspended from his mayoral duties, with an acting mayor appointed from the governing municipal council.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), of which Imamoglu is a member, strongly opposes the decision. Despite his imprisonment, the party held a primary election where 1.7 million members endorsed him as their presidential candidate. Millions of non-members also participated in a symbolic vote in solidarity with Imamoglu. His imprisonment has further deepened concerns about democracy and political freedom in Turkey, drawing criticism from international observers and human rights organizations.

Alongside Imamoglu, 47 others, including his key aides and two district mayors, were also jailed pending trial. One of the detained district mayors has already been replaced by a government-appointed official. Additionally, 44 other suspects have been released under judicial control. Imamoglu, who was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, had already faced political pressure in the past. His victory dealt a major blow to Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for 25 years. The election results were initially contested, leading to a re-run, but Imamoglu won again by an even larger margin.

The ongoing protests and mass detentions have escalated political tensions in Turkey, raising concerns about freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary. The situation remains volatile as opposition leaders and human rights groups continue to call for Imamoglu’s release and demand fair judicial proceedings.

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