Turkish police arrested 44 people Friday (August 15, 2025) in the Opposition stronghold of Istanbul, including the mayor of the central district of Beyoglu and several of his close advisers, the Anadolu news agency reported.
The latest wave of arrests, over alleged corruption, is part of a months-long crackdown targeting the main Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, considered the biggest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March and subsequently imprisoned.
Three mayors arrested in southern Turkiye as part of crackdown on opposition
His arrest sparked protests in the country on a scale not seen in more than a decade.
