Massive Repression gegen die CHP in Istanbul

Seit Wochen verschärft die türkische Regierung die Repression gegen die oppositionelle CHP, ganz offenbar mit dem Ziel die Partei so zu schwächen, dass sie bei Wahlen kein ernsthafter Gegner mehr sein wird. Denn offenbar plant, trotz früher anderslautender Erklärungen, Erdogan nun doch nach 2028 seine Amtszeit zu verlängern:

Turkish authorities detained the mayor of an Istanbul district on Saturday, along with 47 officials, as part of a corruption investigation, continuing a crackdown on the country’s main opposition party.

Hasan Mutlu, mayor of Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district, was taken into custody early Saturday on charges including bribery, embezzlement, fraud and bid rigging by the municipality, according to state broadcaster, TRT Haber.

The Istanbul police reportedly raided 72 locations, seizing documents and detaining Mutlu and several of his deputies.

Mutlu denied the allegations on X, writing: “I have served only Bayrampaşa and you, my esteemed fellow citizens … What has happened consists of political operations and baseless slanders.”

He is the latest in a line of more than a dozen mayors from the Republican People’s party (CHP), along with hundreds of officials, to be arrested in recent months on corruption allegations, including Istanbul’s mayor and leader of CHP, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Rückendeckung bekommt sie dabei von der verbündeten ultranationalistischen MHP, deren Vorsitzender zudem auch ein generelles Verbot sozialer Medien forderte:

Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has called for the eradication of social media and voiced support for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to remain in power beyond his term limit, in an interview with a pro-government daily.

In remarks published by the Sabah newspaper on Friday, Bahçeli described his party’s alliance with Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as based not on personal friendship but on “respect for the office.” He said Erdoğan should continue beyond 2028, even though the constitution limits presidents to two terms. (...)

“If he runs again, we will give full support,” Bahçeli said.

The MHP leader also criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for disputing court rulings, calling its leader Özgür Özel “too harsh.” He said the trustee takeover of the CHP’s İstanbul branch was “an internal matter” for the party.