The mayor of Istanbul has announced that he will not « tend head » after the court’s decision
| « We will respond together to this blow, on this black spot on our democracy … I stand upright, I will not worship, nor give myself, » Imamoglu wrote in a post in X. |
The 54-year-old Imamoglu was arrested along with 20 other opposition leaders in the framework of the corruption investigation against the large municipality of Istanbul. The Turkish opposition has announced that it will appeal the court’s decision, Ozgur Josel, the leader of the People’s Republican Party (NRP), told Reuters.
Investigations launched by the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office against Mayor Imamoglu and 99 suspected charges of « leading a criminal organization », « Member of the Criminal Organization », « Extraction », « Fraud », « Illegal Seizure of Personal Data » and « BTA ».
Is a prohibition on protests? Imamoglu’s arrest threw Turkey into the unknown
The Istanbul Regional Governor in Istanbul, Celik, called on the party’s supporters, who have already filed their voice in the internal elections, to head to the large municipality of Istanbul in Sarachhane, Birgun reported.
| « We urge all who have already exercised their right to vote in Istanbul to head to Sarachhane to protect Istanbul’s will, democracy and the presidential candidate of the People’s Rpublika Party, » Chelik said during an interview with the CHALK TV. |
Yesterday, Istanbul’s valley Davut Gul extended the ban on rallies, statements to the media, processions, seated protests and distribution of brochures, and it will be in force until March 26 inclusive.
Such a ban was introduced in Izmir and Ankara, but despite the measures taken by the authorities, protests in many major cities in Turkey are not absent.
