Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of dozens of people accused of corruption, including members of opposition parties, in Istanbul and Adana. The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office has issued detention orders for 47 people and arrested 30 of them, including local mayors and senior city officials, A2 CNN reports.
This is the fifth wave of arrests since March, when Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rivals, was jailed. The Turkish government has denied any political involvement, insisting that the country's judiciary is independent.
From prison, Imamoglu sent a letter during an opposition protest, writing: "The time has come to say 'Enough' to this unjust and illegal order. You are arresting our district mayors on false pretexts. What will you do next? Will you put 16 million citizens of Istanbul in prison?"
Imamoglu, a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), is facing charges of corruption and supporting a terrorist group, which he denies. His arrest sparked massive protests and arrests across the country. The prosecutor's office said 819 people detained in the protests would be tried in 20 separate trials.
In the first four waves, 110 people were arrested. The fifth operation included four separate actions in Istanbul and Adana, where CHP members and municipal officials were arrested.
The UN Human Rights Office and Amnesty International have expressed concern about these developments, describing them as "draconian" actions and serious threats to democracy. (A2 Televizion)
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