A sweeping new wave of arrests has shaken Turkey’s opposition. On July 1, authorities detained 157 individuals in the western city of İzmir—among them senior officials and former mayor Tunc Soyer—on fake allegations of corruption and fraud.
This latest move is widely viewed as part of President Erdoğan’s escalating campaign to dismantle the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and silence dissent ahead of possible elections.
This marks a continuation of earlier high-profile legal actions—most notably in March, when Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a highly popular figure and leading opposition presidential hopeful, was arrested on faked charges of alleged corruption, misuse of office, and alleged ties to terrorism.
His detention triggered Turkey’s largest protests in over a decade, mobilizing hundreds of thousands across major cities, and led to reprisals such as the annulment of his university degree—effectively blocking his candidacy.