Political earthquake in Turkey. Arrests at the peaks of power
Imamogle, a prominent politician of the opposition republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained on March 19 on charges of corruption and connections with the terrorist organization. The politician testified in two separate cases on the police on Friday and Saturday, after which he went to the City Court in Istanbul, which on Sunday decided to place him behind bars for the duration of the trial.
The decision was made in connection with the allegations of corruption, excluding the second case from it, regarding alleged relationships with the Kurdistan working party (PKK) – an organization considered terrorist by Turkey, the European Union and the USA.
Türkiye is a country ruled by a strong hand
The mayor of Istanbul rejected all the accusations, and his defense announced an appeal against detention.
On Sunday, the Ministry of the Interior of Turkey decided to remove as part of the « temporary measure » from the power of the imamogle and arrested mayors of two districts of Istanbul. In the place of one of them, arrested in a matter of connections with terrorism, a government commissioner was appointed.
On Sunday, the first primaries in the history of the country are organized in the history of the country to select the CHP candidate in the presidential election planned for 2028. Imamoglu is the only person applying for the nomination. The decisions made so far in his case do not exclude applying for the presidency, but a possible conviction will ultimately cross the ambitions of a 53-year-old politician.
If the imamogle is found guilty of any of the alleged acts or imposing a ban on him, his candidacy would be excluded.
They attacked him on several fronts
The day before the CHP politician stopped, a diploma was received, which may also formally prevent him from applying for the office of the president. However, the university’s decision must be finally confirmed by the court.
Imamogle has already announced an appeal against the university’s decision to an administrative court. His start in the election will be impossible only when a final judgment of the court cancels a diploma confirming obtaining a higher education – a necessary requirement to be elected for the position of President of Turkey.
Imamogle lawyers have also announced an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Undemocratic practices have one goal
The arrest of the mayor of Istanbul caused a discussion in Turkey about the possibility of the Ministry of the Interior of the Metropolis manager in place of the Imamogle chosen chosen in 2024. The appointment of the administrator is possible in the event of the Mayor’s accusation of terrorism, hence the Sunday court decision – based on the allegations of corruption – has not yet opened the way to the appointment of temporary city authorities by the government.
However, if the imamogle is arrested in connection with the case binding him with terrorism, the government will be able to appoint its representative in Istanbul. Similar situations occurred in the past in provinces located in the east of Turkey.
Currently, the duties of the mayor of Istanbul are fulfilled by Nuri Aslan, a member of the city council. In connection with Sunday’s arrest of imamogle, the City Council, dominated by the opposition to the government, will election the temporary mayor of Istanbul.
Similar undemocratic practices have one goal – depriving the opposition of the remains of power in Turkey.
Source: PAP
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Dilara Senkaya / Reuters
The mayor of Istanbul Imamogle.
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UMIT Bektas / Reuters
The mayor of Istanbul’s Imamoglu was arrested.
