Turkiye Police hold Erdogan's rival Imamoglu in corruption, terrorist probe | Corruption

CHP calls the detention of Imamoglu as a “coup” as the mayor promises to challenge the diploma invalid by banning it from the Presidency.

Turkish police have arrested the mayor of Istanbul as part of what they say are investigations on alleged corruption and terrorist ties.

Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on Wednesday morning, with State Agency Anadolu said prosecutors issued orders to be detained by the mayor and approximately 100 other people.

Imamoglu posts a video saying, “We are facing great tyranny, but I want you to know that I will not be discouraged.” He accused the government of “usurping the will” of people.

Authorities also closed several roads around Istanbul and banned demonstrations in the city for four days in obvious efforts to prevent protests after Imamoglu's arrest.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of the largest city of Turkish in March 2019 in Stroke of Erdogan and the President or AK Party, which controls Istanbul for a quarter of a century.

While the AK Party insisted on canceling the municipal elections, the results of a 16 million city, a few months later, have seen that Imamoglu won again.

Imamoglu reserved his place after last year's local elections, in which his Republican People's Party (CHP) made profits against the AK party. AK's party has still become a dominant winner across the country, which causes CHP to face internal criticism of its leadership, internal rivalries and strategic direction.

On Tuesday, Istanbul University in Imamoglu has defied it effectively disqualifies it from the next presidential race as a university degree, is necessary for holding an election under Turkish law.

Imamoglu said he would challenge the decision.

CHP – the main opposition party – had to hold a primary on Sunday, where Imamoglu was expected to be elected as its candidate in future elections. Voting is now unlikely to continue.

The next Turkiye president is scheduled for 2028, but early elections are possible.

The chairman of CHP, Ozgur Lieuzel, denied the arrest of Imamoglu as a “coup”.

“There is currently a force to prevent the nation from defining the next president,” he said. “We face an attempt to coup against our next president.”

Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu, reporting Diyarbakir, said the arrested include prominent journalists and business data.

“The main personalities of the opposition responded to the decision, saying it was illegal and illegal,” she said.

Government officials demand that the courts act independently and to reject the claims that legal action against opposition data is politically motivated.