Türkiye: New wave of arrests targeting opposition in Istanbul for corruption

Mayor Hasan Mutlu, elected by the main Turkish opposition party CHP (Republican People's Party, social democrat), and his deputy, Lutfi Kadiogullari, were arrested Saturday morning for "extortion, corruption, aggravated fraud and rigging of calls for tenders," while a search was carried out at the municipality, according to the private news channel NTV.

"The people of Bayrampasa elected Hasan Mutlu, but they didn't support him. They respect neither the election results nor the ballot box nor the will of the people," reacted the CHP's head in Istanbul, Ozgur Celik, on his X account. He was himself dismissed on September 2 by a Turkish court for alleged irregularities during the congress to which he was elected in 2023.