Ekrem Imamoglu, the suspended mayor of Istanbul arrested for corruption, has called on the public to participate in an event in Istanbul on Saturday to protest against his detention. In a message posted on X, while he is currently in Silivri prison since Sunday, Imamoglu invited the public to meet at Maltepe Park on the Asian side of Istanbul on Saturday at 12 local time, 10 in Italy, for an event organized by the Chp, the main opposition party in Turkey to which the suspended mayor belongs.
A total of 1,879 people have been arrested during the protests in the past week across Turkey for Imamoglu. This was announced by the Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, stating that out of the detained individuals, 260 have been confirmed arrested, 468 have been issued restraining orders, 662 are still undergoing procedures without decisions made, and 489 have been released. During the clashes at the protests, 150 officers were injured, added Yerlikaya.
As street demonstrations in support of Imamoglu continue, the Turkish State Authority for Radio and Television (Rtuk) has imposed a ban on broadcasts for up to 10 days on several television channels close to the opposition, in relation to their coverage of the protests. Rtuk has imposed a 10-day broadcasting ban on Sozcu Tv and a 5-day ban on Halk Tv and Tele 1, popular channels that provide a platform for critical voices against the government. Fines have also been imposed on the same channels, as well as on Now, another broadcaster.
On the other hand, BBC journalist Mark Lowen, who arrived in Turkey three days ago to cover the protests against Imamoglu’s arrest, has been deported from Turkey after being detained for 17 hours. Lowen was told that he was being deported because he represented “a threat to public order,” as stated by the BBC in a statement regarding his deportation.
“This is an extremely concerning incident and we will be raising the matter with the Turkish authorities. Mark is a highly experienced correspondent with a deep knowledge of Turkey, and no journalist should face this kind of treatment simply for doing their job. We will continue to report impartially and fairly on events in Turkey,” said BBC News CEO, Deborah Turness.
“Being detained and deported from the country where I have lived for five years and for which I have such great affection has been extremely distressing. Press freedom and unbiased information are fundamental to any democracy,” Lowen stated, who served as a BBC correspondent in Turkey for five years starting in 2014.
The government of Keir Starmer has expressed its expectation from Turkey for “respect for the rule of law,” following the announced deportation of a BBC journalist, a British public broadcaster. A spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry reported that since they share a strong and important relationship with Turkey, they expect, as with all their allies, respect for all international obligations and the rule of law, including swift and transparent legal proceedings.
Schism between the Turkish government and the Council of Europe
The Turkish authorities “must stop indicting and detaining elected representatives of opposition parties on the basis of a broad interpretation and application of terrorism or defamation offenses,” and “abolish the practice of removing them,” practices that have become common and “undoubtedly aim to stifle pluralism and limit freedom of political debate,” according to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
The Congress condemns the arrest of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu and “considers that the relentless judicial harassment campaign against him since his first election in 2019 has been used to limit his right to run for elections.” The declaration highlights that the issue of arrested and dismissed mayors is much broader, with nearly 150 mayors being fired and replaced by trustees since 2016.
The Council of Europe’s body is preparing to visit Turkey for discussions with authorities and to meet all detained mayors, including the one from Istanbul.
In response to these criticisms, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that Europe should show respect for the independence of the Turkish judiciary in the investigation into Imamoglu. “We hope that our European friends will show respect for this,” Tunc said, emphasizing that “the investigation is being carried out by impartial courts” and that the Turkish judiciary is independent.
“Everyone should know that in a state of law, defense must be carried out in the courtroom and not in the emphasized Tunc,”
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