Turkish authorities have arrested Bayrampasa mayor Hasan Mutlu and 25 other Republican People’s Party (CHP) officials on corruption charges—as part of a wider crackdown on the opposition.
Prosecutors in Istanbul said the arrests were for “charges including bribery, extortion, aggravated fraud and bid rigging.”
Mutlu and the CHP—the main opposition party—denied the charges, saying their only crime was opposing the government.
Since March, hundreds of CHP officials have been arrested on terrorism and corruption charges, which the opposition rejects. Key targets include Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, while upcoming court hearings in October could affect the party’s leadership as a whole.
