Turkey arrests hundreds after Istanbul mayor protests

Turkish authorities detained 343 radical during overnight protests successful much than a twelve cities against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Interior Ministry said connected Saturday.

Arrests were made in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, the capital, Ankara, arsenic good arsenic Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Konya and respective others.

"There volition beryllium nary tolerance for those who question to interruption societal order, endanger the people's bid and security, and prosecute chaos and provocation," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted connected societal media.

Tens of thousands of Turks person taken to the streets successful mostly peaceful demonstrations since Wednesday, erstwhile Imamoglu was arrested over alleged links to corruption and terrorism.

According to a number by the AFP quality agency, determination person been demonstrations successful astatine slightest 55 of Turkey's 81 provinces truthful far. On Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said successful a code that authorities "would not let nationalist bid to beryllium damaged," and vowed not to "give successful to vandalism oregon thoroughfare terrorism."

Dozens arrested for societal media posts

Meanwhile, the state-run Anadolu quality bureau reported that Turkish constabulary person detained 56 radical accused of inciting unrest done provocative societal media posts.

Detention warrants were issued for a full of 94 suspects accused of posting "provocative" calls for protests and creating nationalist "panic," Anadolu quoted the Istanbul main prosecutor's bureau arsenic saying.

According to Anadolu, constabulary carried retired simultaneous raids, detaining 56 and searching for 38 others. Authorities seized amerciable drugs during searches of the suspects' homes, the bureau added.

Imamoglu to look earlier prosecutors

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is simply a fashionable absorption fig and seen arsenic a apical challenger to Erdogan.

On Friday, constabulary questioned Imamoglu for 4 hours implicit the corruption accusations, during which helium denied each charges, Turkish media reported.

The arrested politician besides spoke to constabulary connected Saturday greeting successful transportation with the "terror" probe, enactment sources told AFP. He is expected to look again earlier prosecutors astatine the Caglayan courthouse aboriginal connected Saturday to beryllium questioned successful some the graft and panic probes.

The mayor's apprehension came conscionable days up of his expected information arsenic statesmanlike candidate for the absorption Republican People's Party (CHP).

Dozens of different salient figures, including 2 territory mayors, were besides detained. Government officials person denied accusations that trials of absorption figures are politically motivated, insisting that Turkey's courts run independently.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic