Jailed Istanbul mayor hit with new ‘espionage’ arrest order as opposition crackdown deepens

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By Daren Butler

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -A Turkish court issued a fresh arrest order for Istanbul’s jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Monday on suspicion of “political espionage”, marking a new stage in an unprecedented crackdown on President Tayyip Erdogan’s opponents.

It is not unusual for Turkish courts to issue formal arrest orders for people already in custody when a new investigation is launched. Critics say the courts are politicised, an allegation rejected by the government which says they are independent.

Some analysts said the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan’s main political rival, could lead to the state seizing control of the municipality of Istanbul, which is Europe’s largest city.

The espionage probe marks an escalation of a year-long legal crackdown on the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which the government’s critics see as damaging Turkey’s democratic credentials.

Imamoglu and his party are already facing an array of allegations that they deny. Imamoglu has been in jail since March pending trial on separate corruption charges, and also received a fresh jail sentence in July for insulting and threatening the chief Istanbul prosecutor. 

The latest court ruling accuses Imamoglu of engaging in graft to raise funds for his presidential candidacy and of “espionage” to secure international support, the state-owned Anadolu news agency said.

Imamoglu rejected the new accusations in a statement from prison on Friday and again in court on Sunday.

“Such slander, lies and conspiracy wouldn’t even cross the devil’s mind!” he said on X. “We are facing shameful immorality that can’t be described with words.”

An indictment from the court could pave the way for Istanbul’s state-appointed governor to take control of the city. GlobalSource Partners analyst Atilla Yesilada said the interior ministry has the authority to sack Imamoglu and replace him with a trustee.

Anadolu said an Istanbul court had issued the arrest order overnight for Imamoglu and two others, including Merdan Yanardag, editor-in-chief of television news channel Tele1.

The channel, which is critical of the government, was seized by the state on Friday as part of the espionage accusations.

The opposition won some respite from the pressure on Friday, after another court dismissed a bid to oust the CHP’s leader and annul its 2023 congress. 

(Reporting by Daren ButlerEditing by Jonathan Spicer and Gareth Jones)