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- Court ruling likely to escalate tensions following four days of protests.
- Government claims judicial independence, cautions opposition party.
- Hundreds arrested amidst nationwide demonstrations.
A Turkish court has ordered the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on graft allegations while he awaits trial, as reported by state media and other news outlets. This development is expected to ignite the largest protests against President Tayyip Erdogan’s government in over a decade.
The court’s decision to detain Imamoglu, a prominent opponent of Erdogan, came after widespread criticism from the main opposition party, European leaders, and tens of thousands of demonstrators, who labeled the legal actions against him as politically motivated and undemocratic.
The court announced that Imamoglu, aged 54, along with at least 20 others, has been jailed as part of a corruption probe, one of two launched against him last week.
Reports from *Halk TV* and *AHaber* indicated that the court also mandated Imamoglu’s release under judicial supervision concerning a separate charge related to terrorism. This may hinder the government’s ability to appoint a trustee to oversee Turkey’s largest city.
Imamoglu, who is leading in some polls against Erdogan, has firmly denied the allegations, labeling them as “incredible accusations and slanders.”
On the same day, members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Erdogan’s main rival, were casting votes to nominate Imamoglu as the party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
While general elections are not slated until 2028, if Erdogan, who has been in power for 22 years, intends to run again, the parliament would need to authorize an early election, as he will have reached his term limit by then.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, also from the CHP, condemned the jailing of Imamoglu as a disgrace to the judicial system.
The government has denied that the investigations are influenced by political motives, asserting the independence of the judiciary. They have issued warnings against protests, especially in light of a nationwide ban on public gatherings that has been extended for an additional four days since Saturday.
Over the weekend, thousands gathered outside the Istanbul municipality and the main courthouse, where police deployed tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd, who retaliated by throwing firecrackers and other objects.
While most of the gatherings have remained peaceful, clashes with law enforcement have erupted in the western coastal province of Izmir and in the capital, Ankara, for the third consecutive night, with police utilizing water cannons against demonstrators.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, authorities have detained 323 individuals during the protests stemming from the investigation.
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