President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved to arrest his main political opponent in this upcoming election, Ekrem Imamoglu. The main opponent was charged with corruption and aiding and abetting a terrorist. This opponent, however, happened to be the Mayor of Istanbul, and appeared poised to at least have a chance to overthrow Erdogan. The opposition party is calling the move a “coup” by Erdogan.
Turkey’s opposition dubs Istanbul mayor’s detention a ‘coup’ – The Japan Times
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Excerpt:
Turkey detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group in what the main opposition party on Wednesday called “a coup against our next president.”
The move against the popular two-term mayor caps a monthslong legal crackdown on opposition figures across the country which has been criticized as a politicized attempt to hurt their electoral prospects and silence dissent.
Turkey’s lira currency crashed as much as 12% to an all-time low of 42 lira to the dollar in response, underscoring worries over the eroding rule of law in the major emerging market and NATO member country that Erdogan has run for 22 years.
Imamoglu, 54, who leads Erdogan in some opinion polls, was to be named his Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) official presidential candidate within days. He now faces two separate investigations that also include charges of leading a crime organization, bribery and tender rigging.
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