- Mayor Beyoglu was detained for alleged corruption.
- A total of 44 officials, including assistants, were arrested.
- The accusations include the management of criminal organizations and manipulation.
- Critics call legal action politically motivated.
The Turkish authorities detained the mayor of the Istanbul district of Beyogl and more than 40 officials. This was reported by AP, according to which it is another of a series of interventions against the opposition in Turkey, writes TASR. Inan Güney was taken into custody as part of an investigation of alleged corruptionthe state agency Anadolu informed. Among the 44 detainees are Güney’s security guard, his advisor and other assistants, reported Birgun newspapers and other media.
Suspects face several accusations, including management or membership in a criminal organization, bribery, serious fraud, unlawful access to personal data and manipulation of public procurement, His Hürriyet has specified on his website.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the investigation revealed alleged fraud in urban companies, which are linked to Murat ongun, advisor to the mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamogl. The police also said that nine detainees allegedly operated a network of social media under Ongun’s leadership.
Beyoglu district is in the hands of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). In the municipalities and towns where CHP candidates won the elections, waves of arrests took place this year, starting with the detention of Mayor Imamogl in March. Imamoglu is considered to be the main challenger of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is a CHP candidate in the presidential election to be held in 2028.
Critics argue that the legal steps of government authorities are politically motivated and aimed at undermining the growing impact of CHP. However, Erdogan’s government insists that the courts work independently without political interference.
Istanbul and several large cities fell into the hands of CHP in 2019, while the opposition further expanded its control and influence in last year’s municipal elections. The imprisonment of Imamogl in March has led to the biggest protests in Turkey for more than a decade. Their participants condemned the decline of democracy under Erdogan’s government.
