Turkey detains dozens of people over social media posts on detained Istanbul mayor

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Mar 20, 2025 8:08 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Turkey detained 37 suspects for allegedly making "provocative posts inciting transgression and hatred" implicit the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the interior curate said connected Thursday.

Turkey detained Imamoglu, the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, connected Wednesday connected charges including graft and aiding a violent group, a measurement the main absorption enactment criticized arsenic a "coup effort against the adjacent president."

Turkish authorities identified 261 societal media accounts, including 62 based abroad, for "provocative posts" pursuing the detention of Imamoglu and 105 others, and were continuing efforts to way down the remaining suspects, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said connected X.

The curate said 18.6 cardinal posts were shared connected X astir Imamoglu successful little than 24 hours aft his detention.

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Turkey besides seized a operation institution co-owned by Imamoglu, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's bureau said.

In a connection precocious connected Wednesday, the prosecutor's bureau said power of Imamoglu Construction, Trade and Industry was taken implicit by a court, based connected fiscal transgression probe reports.