Police in Turkey have detained nearly 70 people in raids linked to alleged corruption at Istanbul City Hall, two months after the jailing of its mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Around 44 people were arrested in dawn raids on Friday, May 23rd, with police still searching for another five in line with a warrant for 49 people issued by the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office.
Another 20 were picked up in a string of operations that began on Tuesday.
İmamoğlu was arrested then jailed two months ago on corruption charges he denies, a move that sparked Turkey’s worst protest in decades.
He was widely seen as the biggest political rival to longtime President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and his jailing is likely to prevent him from running in the 2028 presidential election.
Among those picked up in the latest raids were İmamoğlu’s private secretary and his private protection officer.
On Friday, Turkey also arrested 65 soldiers and police officers over alleged ties to the late preacher Fethullah Gülen, who was accused of masterminding the failed 2016 coup.
