Latest news with #RiseofEmpires:Ottoman
Boston Globe
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Erdogan calls it an anticorruption drive. His rivals call it a political crackdown.
The arrests come at a time of uncertainty about the political future of Turkey and Erdogan, who has dominated the country's politics for more than two decades. He cannot legally run again when his current, third presidential term ends in 2028 but could seek another mandate if parliament were to call early elections, an outcome many analysts expect him to pursue. The arrests began last year but have accelerated since March, when the police arrested Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, citing allegations of corruption, which he denies. Advertisement In the months since, the government has arrested at least 390 people in connection with investigations of alleged corruption in the Istanbul municipal government and other opposition-run cities, according to a New York Times tally based on Turkish media reports. The opposition says those arrested include current and former mayors and other municipal officials as well as representatives of companies that have worked with opposition-run city governments. Although these arrests have not led to any convictions, Erdogan said in a speech last month that government investigators were exposing 'the biggest gang of robbers in the history of the Republic.' Advertisement Opposition leaders have denied the charges and accuse Erdogan's government of weaponizing the judiciary to weaken its opponents and silence critics, some of whom have faced legal action for opposing the arrests. 'My confidence in justice, in the law, in how it is executed and investigated is gone,' said Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, an actor who played Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docudrama 'Rise of Empires: Ottoman.' In an interview, he described how the police had arrested him at his home in the middle of the night in April after he posted support on social media for a boycott of government-linked companies. Prosecutors are now seeking prison sentences up to about seven years on charges that include instigating hatred in society, an accusation he called 'ridiculous.' Erdogan's governing Justice and Development Party fared poorly in nationwide municipal elections last year, largely because of anger over high inflation. Yet his geopolitical position appears strong. The civil war in neighboring Syria ended with a Turkish-friendly administration in Damascus. European countries count on his help to curb migration. And he has a warm relationship with President Donald Trump, whose secretary of state, Marco Rubio, recently ordered American diplomats to limit their comments about how other countries practice democracy. Few Western governments have spoken publicly about the arrests. Imamoglu, a star in the opposition Republican People's Party, had beat candidates backed by Erdogan for mayor of Istanbul three times, and some polls suggested he could beat Erdogan in a presidential race. The mayor's arrest came days before he officially began his presidential campaign and one day after his university suddenly annulled his undergraduate diploma, citing a decades-old irregularity. That alone could keep him from becoming the president, who is required by law to have completed higher education. Advertisement The timing of those events, which followed other cases that could temporarily bar Imamoglu from politics, led his supporters to accuse the government of seeking to knock him out of the running. The Turkish government insists that its prosecutors and courts are independent and has called on citizens to trust the authorities and not prejudge investigations. Interrogation notes and other information shared with Turkish news outlets indicate that investigators are pursuing allegations that include bribery, fraud, improper distribution of municipal contracts and solicitation of favors in exchange for construction permits. The New York Times has not been able to independently verify these details. In his address in July, Erdogan said that the investigations were free of politics and were uncovering great criminality. As this year's arrests have progressed, the government has also taken legal action against critics, using laws that rights groups say restrict freedom of speech. Last month, a student, Doruk Dorucu, tore up his diploma during a university graduation ceremony to protest the annulment of Imamoglu's diploma and what he called undue government interference in Turkish universities. In an interview, Dorucu said that the police arrested him at his home later that night. He said that he has been barred from traveling abroad while being investigated for inciting hatred among the public. 'In terms of oppression, we are in such a bad period,' he said. 'Everyone is afraid that they can be taken from their homes at dawn over one tweet or one joke they made in daily chitchat with friends.' Advertisement This article originally appeared in
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
EU Increases Pressure on Türkiye after Arrest of Imamoglu
The European Union is ratcheting up pressure on Türkiye over the detention of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, as tensions in the country escalate two weeks after his arrest. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos voiced the EU's strong concern regarding the arrest of Imamoglu. Kos said that because of what happened in the country, she has cancelled her participation in the diplomatic forum in Antalya which will take place from April 11 to 13 and will not go to Ankara to confer with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. During the parliament's debate, which focused on the 'crackdown on democracy in Türkiye' and the arrest of Imamoglu, Kos said that as a candidate country for EU membership and a member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye is expected to apply the highest democratic standards and practices, including regarding freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and free and fair elections. She emphasized Türkiye's strategic importance to Europe, saying 'shutting down our channels and areas of cooperation will not benefit anyone, especially the people of Türkiye.' Also, Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, Chair of the European Parliament's (EP) Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee (KPK), announced he will not attend the committee meeting planned for April 14-15. EP's Türkiye Rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor welcomed Kos's decision to skip the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and the EP's decision to withdraw from the KPK meeting. On his X account, Amor wrote: 'Membership is about democracy. Türkiye's geopolitical position alone will not be enough to open the doors of the European Union.' Ankara applied to join the European Union in 1999. But since 2018, accession negotiations have stalled, due to the deteriorating state of the country's democracy and its relations with the EU. Meanwhile, the Turkish police detained 11 people suspected of spreading calls for a one-day shopping boycott as part of an ongoing protest against the arrest of Imamoglu. Main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel had earlier called for a 'no shopping day,' scheduled for Wednesday April 2 only, to support 301 students who have been arrested and detained for taking part in the protests. On Thursday, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision to release the 11 suspects, who are not allowed to leave the country. Among those detained was actor Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, who played Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docuseries 'Rise of Empires: Ottoman,' the Actors' Union said. Earlier, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into 'hatred and discrimination' and 'inciting hatred and hostility' among the public, state news agency Anadolu reported. Five of them were later released. At the headquarters of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in Ankara, Ozel said he will organize a rally every weekend in support of Imamoglu.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkey makes 11 arrests over shopping-boycott calls in support of jailed mayor
Turkish police detained 11 people for supporting a shopping boycott as part of protests against the imprisonment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, state-run media reported. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into 'hatred and discrimination' and 'inciting hatred and hostility' among the public, the Anadolu news agency said. Among those detained was actor Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, who played Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docuseries 'Rise of Empires: Ottoman', the Actors' Union said. The suspects were held over social media posts calling on people to not to spend money on Wednesday and for businesses to shut their doors in solidarity during the day-long boycott. Large-scale anti-government protests began last month after the arrest of Istanbul's opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on alleged corruption charges that critics say are politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. Members of Imamoglu's Republican People's Party, or CHP, were attacked by a man with a knife on Thursday as they collected signatures in support of Imamoglu. The opposition-supporting Halk TV showed images of the man brawling with staff in the Black Sea city of Trabzon. One party member was injured and police arrested the perpetrator, a local party official said. Istanbul prosecutors on Tuesday launched a criminal investigation into earlier boycott calls by Imamoglu's party targeting companies it alleges support the government. In particular, the opposition identified media firms that did not air images of protests in which hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets to call for Imamoglu's release and an end to democratic backsliding. The leader of the CHP issued a warning after authorities blocked social media accounts supporting Wednesday's boycott. 'We know that you have closed hundreds of pages to date,' Ozgur Ozel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'If you become a tool for anti-democratic practices today, if you implement access ban demands, think carefully about what this nation will do to you!' According to the independent Anka News Agency, some 2,000 people have been detained since Imamoglu was arrested on March 19, with 316 jailed pending trial. Most face charges relating to participating in protests. Lawyers for imprisoned protesters on Wednesday said many had suffered mistreatment. The government has not responded to the allegations but on Thursday the police issued a statement denying claims that women had been sexually assaulted in custody as 'vile slanders'. While in prison, Imamoglu has been confirmed as the CHP's presidential candidate. The next election is currently scheduled for 2028 but is likely to take place earlier.
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Arrests Made in Türkiye over Calls for Shopping Boycott to Support Istanbul's Imprisoned Mayor
Turkish police detained 11 people Thursday for supporting a shopping boycott as part of protests against the imprisonment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, state-run media reported. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into 'hatred and discrimination' and 'inciting hatred and hostility' among the public, the Anadolu news agency said. Among the detained was actor Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, who played Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docuseries 'Rise of Empires: Ottoman,' the Actors' Union said. The suspects were held over social media posts calling on people to not to spend money on Wednesday and for businesses to shut their doors in solidarity during the daylong boycott, The AP news reported. Large-scale anti-government protests began last month after the arrest of Istanbul's opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges that critics say are politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. Istanbul prosecutors on Tuesday launched a criminal investigation into earlier boycott calls by Imamoglu's party targeting companies it alleges support the government. In particular, the opposition identified media firms that did not air images of protests in which hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets to call for Imamoglu's release and an end to democratic backsliding. The leader of Imamoglu's Republican People's Party, or CHP, issued a warning after authorities blocked social media accounts supporting Wednesday's boycott. 'We know that you have closed hundreds of pages to date,' Ozgur Ozel wrote on X. 'If you become a tool for anti-democratic practices today, if you implement access ban demands, think carefully about what this nation will do to you!' While in prison, Imamoglu has been confirmed as the CHP's presidential candidate. The next election is currently scheduled for 2028 but is likely to take place earlier. According to the independent ANKA News Agency, some 2,000 people have been detained since Imamoglu was arrested on March 19, with 316 jailed pending trial. Most face charges relating to participating in protests. Lawyers for imprisoned protesters on Wednesday said many had suffered mistreatment. The government has not responded to the allegations but on Thursday the police issued a statement denying claims that women had been sexually assaulted in custody as 'vile slanders.'
The Hill
03-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
11 detained in Turkey over calls for a shopping boycott to support Istanbul's imprisoned mayor
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish police detained 11 people Thursday for supporting a one-day shopping boycott the previous day as part of protests against the imprisonment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, state-run media reported. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into 'hatred and discrimination' and 'inciting hatred and hostility' among the public, the Anadolu news agency said. Included in those detained was actor Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, who played Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docuseries Rise of Empires: Ottoman, the Actors' Union said. The suspects were held over social media posts calling on people to not to spend money on Wednesday and for businesses to shut their doors in solidarity. Large-scale anti-government protests began last month after the jailing of Istanbul's opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges that critics say are politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. Istanbul prosecutors on Tuesday launched a criminal investigation into earlier boycott calls by Imamoglu's party targeting companies it alleges support the government. In particular, the opposition identified media firms that did not air images of protests in which hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets to call for Imamoglu's release and an end to democratic backsliding. While in prison, Imamoglu has been confirmed as the presidential candidate of the Republican People's Party. The next election is currently scheduled for 2028 but is likely to take place earlier. According to the independent ANKA News Agency, some 2,000 people have been detained since Imamoglu was arrested on March 19, with 316 jailed pending trial. Most face charges relating to participating in protests. Lawyers for imprisoned protesters on Wednesday said many had suffered mistreatment. The government has not responded to the allegations but on Thursday the police issued a statement denying claims that women had been sexually assaulted in custody as 'vile slanders.'
