In a significant escalation of political repression in Turkey, reports indicate that the mayors of three cities have been arrested on Saturday morning. This action is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ongoing campaign against the political opposition in the country.
All three arrested officials are members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition party in Turkey. The detained mayors include Abdurrahman Tutdere from Adiyaman, Zeydan Karalar from Adana municipality, and Muhittin Böcek from Antalya. Their arrests were reportedly initiated by investigations launched by the public prosecutor’s office in Istanbul, as reported by state-run media.
Context of the arrests
This development occurs just four months after the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, who was imprisoned over allegations of corruption. İmamoğlu is known as one of Erdoğan’s primary political adversaries and his imprisonment in March sparked widespread protests across the nation. Following his arrest, he was designated as his party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming elections.
Broader implications for the opposition
The crackdown on opposition figures extends beyond the mayors arrested this weekend. Earlier this week, the former mayor of Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, was taken into custody along with 137 officials on charges related to fraud and tender-rigging. Additionally, the mayor of Manavgat, also affiliated with the CHP, was detained alongside 34 others on corruption-related allegations.
“The ongoing arrests highlight the increasingly precarious situation for opposition leaders in Turkey,”
As the political landscape continues to shift, the next presidential election in Turkey is scheduled for 2028, raising questions about the future of democratic governance in the nation amidst such crackdowns.