Skip to main content

Turkey detains 37 people over social media posts on detained Istanbul mayor

1 min Mena Today

Turkey detained 37 people accused of "provocative" social media posts over the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the government said on Thursday, seeking to quell protests

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), speaks during a rally to protest against the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 31, 2024. Reuters/Dilara Senkaya

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), speaks during a rally to protest against the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Ozer, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 31, 2024. Reuters/Dilara Senkaya

Turkey detained 37 people accused of "provocative" social media posts over the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the government said on Thursday, seeking to quell protests.

Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, was taken on Wednesday on charges including graft and aiding a terrorist group, a move the main opposition party condemned as a "coup attempt against the next president".

Thousands of protesters have taken to streets and university campuses in various cities including Istanbul and the capital Ankara, with crowds chanting anti-government slogans, despite a four-day ban on gatherings imposed after Imamoglu's arrest.

Turkish authorities identified 261 social media accounts, including 62 based abroad, for "provocative posts inciting crime and hatred" following the detention of Imamoglu and 105 others, and were continuing efforts to track down the remaining suspects, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X.

The minister added that 18.6 million posts about Imamoglu were shared on X within 24 hours of his detention. The popular 54-year-old leads Erdogan in some opinion polls.

CRACKDOWN

As well as the ban on demonstrations, authorities closed several roads and restricted access to some social media.

"They hastily detained our mayor, whom we elected with our votes," said Ali Izar, an opposition supporter on his way to work in central Istanbul. "I do not think this is a democratic practice, and I condemn it."

Turkey also seized a construction company co-owned by Imamoglu, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's office said.

The prosecutor's office said control of Imamoglu Construction, Trade and Industry was taken over by a court, based on financial crime investigation reports.

Istanbul municipality staff made up the bulk of the 105 people arrested along with Imamoglu.

"The people will give their response again," said another Imamoglu supporter, Yusuf Demirci, 34, in Istanbul. "As you saw yesterday, everyone is on the streets. Everyone is in the squares. The squares and the ballot box will be the result of this. I say, the righteous one will win."

By Andrew Lecoh

Related

United Arab Emirates

UAE brokers largest Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap since war began

The United Arab Emirates has successfully mediated the largest exchange of captives between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine since the outbreak of their conflict in 2022, bringing the total number of individuals exchanged through UAE efforts to 3,771.

Egypt

Easter in Cairo: Pope Tawadros calls for hope and national unity

In a moving display of faith and unity, Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, presided over the Easter Mass on Saturday evening at the historic St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo’s Abbasiya district.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

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.