ANKARA – Turkish authorities detained 47 more officials from Istanbul’s municipal administration on Saturday, widening a sweeping crackdown linked to corruption allegations against the city’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, local media including NTV reported.
Imamoglu, a key rival to President Tayyip Erdogan and the leader of Istanbul’s opposition-led government, was imprisoned in March pending trial on charges of corruption and alleged support for a terrorist organization. The mayor has consistently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated attacks designed to sideline him ahead of possible future elections. His arrest has triggered widespread protests, economic unrest, and fierce criticism of the judiciary’s independence.
The latest detentions include high-ranking figures such as the municipality’s secretary general, Imamoglu’s chief of staff, and the leadership of the city’s water and sewerage authority, ISKI. Authorities also apprehended the wife of Murat Ongun, one of Imamoglu’s closest aides, along with several other senior municipal officials.
Since Imamoglu’s detention, the number of arrested officials connected to his administration has reportedly risen to at least 150, though precise figures remain unclear.
Reacting to the latest wave of arrests, Imamoglu accused the authorities of fabricating charges and attempting to “fill empty files with lies and slander.” Speaking via social media, he vowed to defend his colleagues, declaring, “Nobody will be left behind. These days will pass.”
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which Imamoglu belongs to, has condemned the arrests as a politically driven campaign orchestrated by Erdogan to weaken elected opposition officials. Meanwhile, the government maintains that the judiciary operates independently and rejects claims of political interference.