Turkey is in turmoil. Large crowds of protesters have gathered for the fifth day in a row in the Turkish capital in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement that the protests over the imprisonment of the Istanbul mayor had turned into a "violent movement" and that the main opposition party would be held responsible for the injured police officers and property damage.
"What we have seen in the last five days shows us a truth. A country like Turkey has a very small, very primitive and very weak opposition, in terms of vision and quality. It is becoming evident once again that that opposition cannot be trusted to run the country. We will not be a pretext for them to turn power within their own party, let alone turn it into a national issue. I have said it before and I repeat it today. Stop destroying the peace of our people with provocations. If you have the courage, answer for corruption, theft and irregularities," Erdogan said.
Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and its supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated and undemocratic, which Erdogan's government denies. A CHP delegation met with the governor of Istanbul to discuss the police crackdown on protesters. The party's Istanbul chief, Ozgur Celik, said police action on Sunday night was the most violent yet, with many protesters hospitalized.
Analysts expect a prolonged period of political unrest and uncertainty.
Imamoglu, 54, was jailed pending trial on Sunday after the CHP held a primary election to nominate him as its presidential candidate. Some 15 million votes were cast in support of the mayor. (A2 Televizion)
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