Turkey detains nearly 1,900 for protesting Istanbul mayor arrest

ISTANBUL|ANKARA: Turkey said on Thursday it rejected "prejudiced" international statements over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and protests it triggered, following the detention of nearly 1,900 people since the nationwide demonstrations began eight days ago.

Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's biggest political rival who leads him in some polls, was jailed pending trial for graft on Sunday. His arrest prompted the largest anti-government protests in a decade and led to mass arrests across the country.

Imamoglu's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and Western powers have all said the case against the mayor-dismissed from his job due to the case-was a politicised effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan.


The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent. Speaking to media representatives in Istanbul, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said Ankara had asked its European partners to act with "common sense".