A sweeping wave of police operations across Turkey has resulted in the detention and arrest of several high-profile mayors from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), sparking a furious response from party leader Özgür Özel, who labeled the moves "a declaration of war on democratic politics."
In a series of coordinated raids, security forces detained prominent figures, including Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere. Following his detention, Böcek was formally arrested pending trial, a move that sent shockwaves through the country's political landscape.
According to reports, the operations are part of a historically unprecedented crackdown on the opposition. In total, operations have been launched against 17 CHP-run municipalities, leading to the arrest of 13 of the party's mayors.
The arrests come just months after the CHP scored a landmark victory in the March 31 local elections, retaining control of major cities like Istanbul and Ankara and winning municipalities in former strongholds of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling party, including Adıyaman.
As he was being taken into custody, Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere defiantly addressed the public, stating, "We have done nothing that would make my fellow citizens of Adıyaman bow their heads. Our fight for law and justice will continue."
The government has not yet issued a detailed official statement on the specific charges, but such operations are typically framed within the context of corruption or security-related investigations.
The opposition, however, decries the moves as a politically motivated assault on the will of the voters. Speaking at a large "Protecting the Will of the Nation" rally, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel delivered a blistering condemnation of the government.
"This is a declaration of war on democratic politics," Özel declared to a crowd of supporters. He framed the crackdown as a direct retaliation for his party's electoral success. "Those who came on November 3 [referring to the date the ruling AKP first came to power in 2002] will go on November 2. This coming Sunday, November 2, will be Turkey's day of liberation."
Other opposition forces echoed the sentiment. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party's Central Executive Committee released a statement condemning the crackdown. "We stand against all kinds of interventions targeting the will of the people," the statement read, signaling a broader opposition front against the government's actions.
Critics argue the arrests are an attempt to neutralize the opposition's growing influence by removing democratically elected officials and potentially replacing them with government-appointed trustees, a tactic previously used extensively against municipalities won by pro-Kurdish parties. The scale of the current operations against the country's main opposition party marks a significant escalation in Turkey's already tense political climate.
Photo: Artı Gerçek