Student conflict with police in custody of Istanbul Mayor
Reuters reports that Turkey has detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Amamolulu, who was called the chief rival of President Recep Taip Erdoan, on charges of corruption and supporting a terrorist group, which was called “a coup” by the main opposition party. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Taip Erdoan is facing criticisms that critics say there is a rift on the opposition political figures, when the police detained his main rival, Istanbul’s mayor Acrem Omamolu, corruption charges and links regarding terrorism.
Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor Office issued detention orders for Olmolu and 106 other major political data. The suspects are accused of committing crimes including bribery, embezzlement, dialect, increased fraud and illegal acquisition of personal data.
̇Mamojlou was accused of collaborating with a Kurdishist Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a Kurdish Nationalist Group, who has led militancy against the Turkish state and is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, America and the European Union.
Bionia law tries to curb Erdoan’s Turkey in relation to our enemies
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Amamoñlu (Aziz Karimov/Getty Image/File)
Critics suspect the arrest of a major opposition person, especially at a time when Erdoan’s ruling justice and development (AKP) party has suffered losses in local elections in the last one year.
“Mamojlu’s arrest is no coincidence. He is Erdoan’s political slavery, and weighing his potential candidature against him for the presidency, weighing Erdoan’s mind,” Sinan Siddi, Turkish’s Nonvez Senior Fellow of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, Fox News Digital.
People oppose the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Amamolu on March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seko)
Siddi warned that the custody of political opponents represents the last point of Turkey as a democracy, claiming that peaceful transfer of power with independent and fair elections is no longer possible.
Turkish officials pushed the allegations back that the wave of arrest was politically motivated.
Turkish confrontation foreign policy challenges Greece, European Union amid growing marine tension
A spokesman for the Turkish Embassy in Washington sent Fox News Digital in a statement by the Ministry of Justice.
Justice Yilamz Tunak wrote, “Attempts to add judicial inquiry with our President and affiliate matters, at least, is a task of adventurous and irresponsibleness.”
People oppose the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Amamolu on March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seko)
The statement said, “In our country, the separation of powers is a fundamental, executive and judicial – a fundamental principle. The judiciary does not take orders from anyone,” the statement states.
̇Mamolu thanked global leaders and members of European Parliament to a position on X and vowed to fight for Türkiye’s democracy.
“I stand firmly, handing over myself to Istanbul’s not only 16 million inhabitants but also 86 million citizens of Tourki and all those who maintain democracy and justice around the world. I am firm in my fight for fundamental rights and freedom.”
Turkish President Recep Taip Erdoan (AP/Emrah Gayle/File)
The Secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), Mamojlu, was elected the mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and was re -elected in 2023. In both elections, he defeated Erdoan-Sama-Samsit AKP opponents. He was seen as a possible nominee of CHP to face Erdoan in the next presidential election prescribed for 2028, or soon if the election is said to be early.
Officials banned public demonstrations for four days in an attempt to calm any growing backlash for arrest. CHP President of Turkey’s main opposition party özgür özel addressed major demonstrations in Istanbul and called for a large -scale protest to protest what the opposition looks as a major violation of democratic criteria.
Click here to get Fox News app
In response to the arrest, Istanbul University according to the Turkish law, a step that would prevent him from running for the President, said that the President needs the President for a university degree. ̇Mamolu said that the Act was beyond the rights of the university and was a disturbed sign of political intervention in academics.
Sonar Cagape, Senior Fellow of Washington Institute, said in a post on X that Erdoan was originally placed in a political stardom as the then Mayor of Istanbul in 1999, when he was imprisoned for inciting religious hatred, only to increase his popularity and to become a leader of Turkish since 2003.
