Justice: Erdogan opponents arrested – attempted coups denounced

Dozens of arrests, demonstration bans, roadblocks and restrictions on online media: In Turkey, the judiciary arrested the leading opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu in the course of a large-scale raid-just a few days before it was to be voiced as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic CHP. The promising challenger of the authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is accused of corruption and terrorist support. The party of the Mayor of Istanbul, on the other hand, warned of the attempt to coup – and called for protests nationwide.

In addition to Imamoglu, at least 84 other people were arrested, according to the state news agency Anadolu. Specifically, it is about suspicion of membership in a criminal association, extortion, bribery, fraud and tender manipulation.

Imamoglu said early in the morning in a video on X, hundreds of police officers were standing on his doorstep. “We are in the face of a great tyranny.” Then he was brought to a police station, according to media reports the property was searched.

Is there a threat of an elevation?

Terror investigations against political officials arouse bad memories in Turkey. Mayor of the Prourdish Deme-Party in particular were recently removed from their office for terrorist determinations and compulsory administrators close to the government were recently removed. It was unclear whether Imamoglu also threatens. In addition to Imamoglu, the mayors of two Istanbul communities and a well -known singer were also arrested.

According to Anadolu, the background to the terrorist investigations is a cooperation between CHP and that in the local elections. Both parties had worked together to win majorities in communities. Anadolu quoted the prosecutor’s office cited the banned Kurdish Workers’ Party PKK through this cooperation.

“Attempted coup against the next potential president”

Turkey is currently experiencing “a coup attempt against the next potential president,” criticized the CHP boss Özgür Özel. His party called for nationwide protests. Devlet Bahceli, head of the Ultranationalist MHP party and government partner of Erdogans, commented on X that the Turkish judiciary was independent, impartial and lens.

The governor of the province of Istanbul imposed a four-day demonstration, assembly and news lock until Sunday- on the day Imamoglu is to be named top candidate. Roads were closed in the metropolis, and the central Taksim-Platz and several railway stations were also closed.

Several social networks and short message services were only used to a limited extent. Many Turks described throttles and restrictions on X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp as well as signal and telegram.

Imamoglu is likely to compete in upcoming presidential elections as opponents of Erdogan. According to current surveys, a victory would be possible.

“Democracy stepped with feet”

Imamoglus wife made up the government of Erdogans as the person responsible. Dilek Imamoglu said in a video message: “Those who do not want to lose in the next election have taken this long planned step and took democracy with feet.”

Erdogan has been leading Turkey as head of government or president for more than 20 years. Many opposition figures now see the procedure to attempt to eliminate a political opponent.

According to the current constitution, Erdogan is not allowed to compete as President at the regular date 2028 – unless the parliament votes for early elections. Erdogan’s party and their allies cannot arrange this in parliament without opposition votes.

New wave of repression in the corridor

Observers saw the planned line -up Imamoglus so far in advance as an attempt to protect it from political repression. Imamoglu threatens in a number of other procedures and political bans. He denies his guilt in all the procedures.

For several months, several legal proceedings against members of the Turkish opposition and civil society for several months. Observers refer to them as a new wave of repression. The judiciary in Turkey is considered politicized.

The Turkish exile journalist Can Dündar told the dpa: “Erdogan today carried out the coup that he has planned and prepared for a long time and had his closest rivals put into prison.” The federal government also spoke of a serious setback for democracy in Turkey. The respect for democratic and rule of law is “basic condition for a functioning democracy,” said a spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office.

Police use tear gas against student protests

Despite the ban on demonstration, students in Istanbul reacted with protests. The police had stood in the way of the protesters near the Istanbul University, wrote the Birgün news portal and shared a video on which a large group of people broke through a police barricade. Media reported that tear gas had been used.

Imamoglus victory in Istanbul, the most populous city and province, in 2019 the largest defeat of the AK party of Erdogans is valid until then. His party had ruled the metropolis until then. Imamoglu even won a second time in the 2024 local elections.

The arrests also shook the financial markets. The state currency Lira dropped to a record low for the US dollar, the stock market collapsed and the returns on the bond market were increasing significantly.