Turkey's opposition says Erdogan's canal plan behind latest arrests

From his situation cell, jailed absorption politician Imamoglu has denounced the latest arrests. Photo: Adem ALTAN / AFP
Source: AFP

Prosecutors successful Turkey announced dozens much arrests Saturday arsenic portion of an ongoing corruption probe, denounced by absorption leaders arsenic a pretext to region absorption to an ambitious Istanbul canal project.

The Istanbul wide prosecutor's bureau said Saturday it had issued warrants for 53 people, 47 of whom had been detained, implicit a corruption probe into absorption politician Ekrem Imamoglu, who was himself arrested past month.

Imamoglu's party, the main absorption CHP, said the arrests were to antagonistic its efforts to artifact the projected Istanbul canal project, intended to link the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The task is backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking astatine a rally Saturday, Ozgur Celik, caput of the CHP successful Istanbul, accused the authorities of having "revived" the task conscionable aft Imamoglu's arrest.

The lawman president of the CHP parliamentary group, Gokhan Gunaydin, besides argued that "the existent crushed for these arrests is the Istanbul Canal".

But the government's section for combating disinformation has denied the accusations.

"The cognition follows the probe opened connected March 19 against the politician for corruption," it said.

From his cell, Imamoglu besides denounced the arrests, blaming "a fistful of ambitious people... who started filling bare files with lies and slander".

'No coincidence'

Imamoglu was arrested for alleged corruption connected the time helium was named the CHP's campaigner for the 2028 statesmanlike race. He is regarded arsenic the astir high-profile politician successful absorption to Erdogan, whose AKP has ruled Turkey since 2002.

Imamoglu's detention sparked immense crowds rallying successful nightly protests extracurricular Istanbul City Hall. The demonstrations rapidly dispersed crossed the state successful what became Turkey's biggest question of unrest since 2013.

Among those detained Saturday was Imamoglu's adjutant and brother-in-law Kadriye Kasapoglu and metropolis hallway officials, Turkish media reported.

The Bir Gun quality site, which is adjacent to the opposition, said raids were underway successful the homes of those detained successful Ankara, Istanbul and Tekirdag successful the country's north-west.

"Today's cognition is nary coincidence," Celik said connected X.

Istanbul's Water and Sewage Authority had ordered the demolition and shutdown of operation sites on the canal route, helium said.

"The municipal employees who opposed (the project) are presently astatine the main constabulary station," helium added.

The task was initiated by Erdogan successful 2011 erstwhile helium was premier minister. The program is to relieve congestion successful the Bosphorus Strait, a 50-kilometre-long (31 miles), 150-metre-wide and 25-metre heavy stretch.

Environmentalists vehemently reason it, arguing it would encroach connected earthy and cultivation onshore and change a reservoir that supplies immoderate of Istanbul's water.

Seismic risks

Earlier this week, Ozel besides told parliament that Imamoglu's apprehension was linked to his pushback against the canal.

"They cannot excavation the canal due to the fact that Istanbul's guardian Ekrem Imamoglu opposes it. But they started gathering houses each around! Why? Because they sold them," helium said.

Turkish authorities person launched a societal lodging task and precocious enactment onshore adjacent to the way of the aboriginal canal up for sale.

The main of Istanbul's Urban Planning Agency, Bugra Gokce, is among experts that person warned against the canal and lodging developments.

Gokce has warned of the seismic risks owed to the progressive responsibility enactment nether the route. Only past Wednesday Istanbul was shaken by a large 6.2 magnitude earthquake followed by galore aftershocks.

Imamoglu's arrest, which was wide denounced arsenic a bid to permission the CHP leaderless, has besides had economical implications.

Aside from an absorption telephone to boycott firms seen arsenic adjacent to the government, Istanbul's benchmark BIST 100 banal speech has fallen by astir 14 percent implicit the month.

The Turkish lira has shed astir 8 percent against the dollar, reaching an all-time debased contempt a $50-billion injection by the cardinal slope to bounds the damage.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck retired quality that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” artifact connected the location leafage and enjoy!

Source: AFP