Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has denied terrorism charges brought against him, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Saturday, after he was detained by Turkey on Wednesday for alleged corruption and terrorism.
Ekrem Imamoglu © Mena Today
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has denied terrorism charges brought against him, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Saturday, after he was detained by Turkey on Wednesday for alleged corruption and terrorism.
"I see today during my interrogation that I and my colleagues are faced with unimaginable accusations and slanders," Imamoglu said in his defence at a counter-terrorism police interrogation, the document showed.
Imamoglu is a key opposition figure and potential challenger to longtime President Tayyip Erdogan.
"These slanders will bounce back after hitting the walls in the heart of our nation," Imamoglu said.
"It is imperative that our country be rid of this mentality as soon as possible, which thinks that it is entitled to do everything to protect (its) seat," Imamoglu said, in a veiled reference to Erdogan.
Imamoglu is expected to appear in court later on Saturday, when the decision to either release him or jail him pending trial, will be made.
Reporting by Ece Toksabay
President Tayyip Erdogan said he believed ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan could overcome all obstacles and he would visit Baku on November 8, after tensions in recent weeks between the historic allies over regional and domestic policies.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a cooperation agreement between the two countries' defense ministries on Wednesday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group continues its missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.