Opposition sinking Turkey’s economy: Erdogan

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday accused the political opposition of “sinking the economy” during the country’s largest protests in more than a decade over the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

The opposition has called for a boycott of companies that it says support Erdogan’s government.

The Turkish president accused the opposition of being “so desperate that they would throw the country and the nation into the fire.”

In his address to lawmakers with his Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan added that “sabotage targeting the Turkish economy will be held accountable before the courts.”

Imamoglu, who was arrested a week ago, faces charges related to corruption and supporting terrorism within the Istanbul municipality alongside some 90 other suspects.

Students gather in front of the University of Istanbul during a rally in support of Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday. AFP

A court ordered him to be imprisoned on Sunday. A trial date has not been announced.

Many consider the case against Imamoglu to be politically motivated.

The government says the judiciary is free of political influence.

The evidence against Imamoglu has not been officially disclosed.

Many Turkish media outlets have reported that it is largely based on “secret witnesses.” The use of such testimony has been seen in previous criminal cases against opposition politicians.

The head of the opposition Iyi Party, Musavat Dervisoglu, questioned the evidence of corruption in Istanbul municipality.

“Dozens of inspectors have gone, 1,300 inspections have been made, nothing has come out of these inspections,” he told party lawmakers.

Also on Wednesday, Istanbul’s municipal assembly voted for a proxy mayor to stand in for Imamoglu.

His Republican People’s Party (CHP), which has a majority in the assembly, selected Nuri Aslan, previously the deputy mayor.

While the CHP has said it will no longer organise mass rallies at City Hall, students across Turkey continue protesting. Demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as smaller cities and towns, have been largely peaceful. Protesters demand Imamoglu’s release and an end to democratic backsliding.

Imamoglu, in a social media post from prison, condemned police violence against protesters.

“I cannot call them police because my honorable police would not commit this cruelty to the young children of the nation,” he said.

Associated Press