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Turkish Authorities Remove Imamoglu from Office... Widespread Protests
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The extensive public protests despite the official ban indicate growing rejection by the Turkish public of government measures that undermine the democratic process and peaceful transfer of power
The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday the suspension of Ekrem Imamoglu's duties as Mayor of Istanbul, following a Turkish court decision to place him in preventive detention as part of investigations into alleged corruption cases. An official statement issued by the ministry stated that "the work of Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Greater Istanbul, has been suspended."
The Istanbul Municipal Council, where the main opposition Republican People's Party holds the majority, is expected to select an interim mayor in the coming days following Imamoglu's removal. The ministry also clarified that it had dismissed two other mayors who were detained as part of the same case filed against Imamoglu.
Turkish security agencies arrested the Istanbul mayor last Wednesday. Imamoglu, who belongs to the Republican People's Party, is considered one of the most prominent potential candidates to compete against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming elections. He was scheduled to be selected today, Sunday, as the largest opposition party's candidate for the Turkish presidential elections.
Investigations with Imamoglu are proceeding in cases related to terrorism and corruption, while his preventive detention decision is linked to ongoing corruption investigations. Imamoglu has denied all charges against him.
Imamoglu's arrest has sparked a wave of anger and widespread protests in various Turkish cities, with tens of thousands of citizens demonstrating in recent days despite the ban on gatherings. Clashes have resulted in the detention of hundreds of protesters.
These measures reflect the Turkish regime's continuing policy of suppressing opposition and controlling the levers of power, in an approach similar to the centralized rule that prevailed in Syria under Bashar al-Assad's regime, which led to the concentration of all powers in the hands of a limited group and deprived regions of managing their own affairs.
