Politics After Imamoglu's detention: Turkey rejects criticism from abroad
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc has rejected criticism from abroad regarding the arrest and dismissal of Istanbul's mayor.
27.03.2025, 15:45
SDA
At a media conference in Istanbul, he spoke of a prejudiced attitude towards Turkey and "double standards". "Our European friends should show prudence in this matter," said Tunc. It was important to await the outcome of the ongoing investigations.
Last week, the popular opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested following allegations of corruption and terrorism and removed as mayor of Istanbul. This was followed by massive protests within the country and sometimes harsh criticism from abroad.
The German government, for example, called Imamoglu's detention and dismissal "absolutely unacceptable". EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the process as "extremely worrying". In view of the developments in Turkey, the EU is now not ruling out the possibility of canceling planned talks on expanding cooperation.
Tunc: Forced administrator for Istanbul not ruled out
Tens of thousands have been taking to the streets in the country every day since Imamoglu's arrest last week. They accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of wanting to use the investigations to politically immobilize the opposition politician. Imamoglu has so far been considered to have a chance of winning the next presidential election against Erdogan.
Tunc did not rule out the possibility of a forced administrator being appointed to replace the mayor of Istanbul. Turkish law stipulates that the Ministry of the Interior can take such a step in the case of terror investigations. In Imamoglu's case, the city parliament elected a CHP deputy as his deputy on Wednesday.
Opposition members fear that the government could use a forced administrator to secure control of the country's most economically and politically important city. It had been governed by Imamoglu and his CHP, the country's strongest opposition party, since 2019.
