Istanbul mayor arrested in Turkey

A large-scale operation against the Istanbul municipality has been carried out in Turkey. The city's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and more than 100 people, including officials and businessmen, have been arrested.

The investigation accuses Imamoglu of leading a criminal organization, bribery, fraud, bid rigging, and ties to the PKK.

The government says the investigation is based on financial reports and witness statements. The operation involved 3,000 police officers.

Imamoglu, a key figure in the opposition, called the arrest "an attempt to abuse the will of the people."

While his advisers and supporters describe the incident as political persecution, the prosecutor's office insists that it is a corruption scheme and a scheme to force businessmen to pay bribes.

Earlier, Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu's diploma at the request of the prosecutor's office, which could limit his ability to run as a main opponent to Erdogan in the presidential elections that could be held in 2027.

Because in Turkey, only highly educated candidates can run for state leadership.