Demonstrations broke out in Istanbul on Tuesday after Turkish authorities detained a former mayor and dozens of municipal officials from the western city of Izmir, escalating what the opposition says is a politically motivated crackdown on the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

The arrests are part of a widening anti-corruption probe that has increasingly targeted CHP-controlled municipalities across Turkey. 

This latest round focused on Izmir a key stronghold of the main opposition party where prosecutors allege widespread irregularities in public tenders and misuse of municipal resources.

CHP leaders have condemned the arrests, accusing the government of using the judiciary to weaken political rivals ahead of future elections. “This is not about justice it’s about intimidation,” a CHP spokesperson said during Tuesday’s protest in Istanbul. “The government fears the growing support for the opposition and is trying to dismantle our institutions.”

Since the start of the year, numerous CHP-affiliated officials particularly in Istanbul, Ankara, and now Izmir have faced investigations or been taken into custody. The CHP says the timing and scope of the arrests are part of a broader campaign to undermine its influence at the local level, where it has made major electoral gains in recent years.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration has rejected the claims, insisting the judiciary operates independently and that the ongoing investigations are based solely on legal evidence. “No one is above the law,” a senior government official said Tuesday. “These proceedings have nothing to do with politics.”

The arrests have further strained political tensions in Turkey, where opposition parties and human rights groups have long accused the government of eroding democratic institutions and weaponising state power against dissent. 

Observers say the latest developments could set the tone for a contentious political climate ahead of national elections expected in the coming years.

Erizia Rubyjeana

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