Turkish police detain 11 over opposition-led economic boycott

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ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish police have detained 11 people as part of an investigation into social media calls for an economic boycott backed by the opposition following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, state media reported on Thursday.

Prosecutors launched the probe on Tuesday, saying they were investigating individuals promoting economic boycotts on social and traditional media.

The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the calls sought to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity, citing potential violations of “laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility”.

Citing the prosecutor’s office, state news agency Anadolu said on Thursday police carried out simultaneous raids across multiple locations, detaining 11 suspects, while efforts to apprehend the remaining five continued.

The detentions follow a call by main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel to boycott businesses with perceived ties to President Tayyip Erdogan’s government. That call expanded on Wednesday to a one-day halt in shopping.

The government has condemned the boycott as an attempt to destabilize the economy.

Turkey’s economy, hit by years of high inflation and currency turmoil, has seen slowing growth, with March inflation at 38.1%. Some business owners reported a sharp drop in customers following the boycott call, while others defended it as a necessary form of protest.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Gareth Jones)