Thousands of people protested against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The mayor, who is known as Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, was arrested on corruption & terrorism charges. Critics see this as a dramatic escalation in a crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices in Turkiye.

Turkiye: Erdogan's top rival challenges him

Turkiye is once again at a political crossroads, as mass protests erupt following the shocking arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Watch this report for more details!

Turkiye faces protests after opposition leader’s arrest

Turkish police have detained Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, over graft and tourism allegations. This has prompted outrage from the opposition, which has slammed the move as a politically motivated coup. Protests erupted in the capital, Ankara, with crowds demonstrating against the detention of Mayor İmamoğlu. Watch in for more details!

Turkey: Mass protests erupt in Istanbul after arrest of Erdogan's key rival

Tutrkey: Mass protests erupt in Istanbul after arrest of Erdogan's key rival

Turkey: President Erdogan’s main political rival in arrested, protests erupt

Turkey: Thousands protest against arrest of Istanbul mayor; chant slogans against Erdogan govt

Turkey: Protests erupt against mayor's detention; demonstrators chant slogans against Erdogan govt

On Wednesday, Turkish police arrested Istanbul’s mayor, a prominent opposition leader and a key challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, along with several other notable figures, as part of probes into alleged corruption and terror connections.

Istanbul mayor arrested in alleged corruption case

Police arrest Istanbul Mayor, President's key rival over alleged corruption

Turkish police detained Istanbul's powerful mayor Ekrem Imamoglu early Wednesday as part of a corruption probe, a move his opposition CHP party slammed as a "coup".
A key figure within the CHP, Imamoglu is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, and his detention comes just days before he was to be named the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
Widely seen as the strongest challenger to Erdogan, Imamoglu has faced a string of what critics say are politically motivated legal cases.
As reports of his detention emerged, Turkey briefly shut down access to social networks and hundreds of police surrounded City Hall and closed off Taksim Square, with the authorities banning all demonstrations for the next four days.
Even so, several hundred people gathered near the Istanbul police headquarters where Imamoglu was taken, angrily chanting "Government resign!" an AFP correspondent said.
The move also sparked chaos on financial markets, with the Turkish lira plunging to a historic low of 39 liras against the dollar and the benchmark BIST 100 stock exchange reportedly shedding 6.9 percent.
With the exchange website offline, it was not possible for AFP to immediately verify the figures.
<h2><hl2>'Nothing short of a coup'&nbsp;</hl2></h2>
"Using force to usurp the will of the people or to obstruct it is a coup," CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said on X, his words echoed by many other observers.
"What happened this morning was nothing short of a coup against the main opposition party, with far-reaching consequences for Turkey's political trajectory," political scientist Berk Esen at Istanbul's Sabanci University told AFP.
The raid occurred just hours after Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu's degree, amid claims it was falsely obtained. In Turkey, presidential candidates must have a higher education qualification.
Imamoglu's wife Dilek said police officers turned up around 3:00 am (0000 GMT) and took him away several hours later.
"Police officers came right after the sahur and he started to get ready," she said in a video released by the municipality, referring to the meal before the Ramadan fast resumes at dawn.
"They left the house around 7:30 am," she said.
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A statement from the Istanbul public prosecutor's office cited charges including bribery and extortion, alleging that Imamoglu was the leader of a "criminal organisation" and that 100 suspects had been rounded up.
The move appeared to be in connection with a probe into alleged "tender rigging" by Imamoglu that was opened in 2023.
But local reports, including from state news agency Anadolu, said it was also linked to a separate probe for allegedly aiding the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying he was one of seven people detained.
<h2><hl2>'They panic'&nbsp;</hl2></h2>
On the streets of Istanbul, few were willing to comment and those that did refused to give their names.
"Whenever this guy and his dirty team see someone strong, they panic and do something illegal to him," said an Istanbul shopkeeper, referring to Erdogan and his governing AKP party.
"They are evil, but amateurs," he added.
Shortly after the police raid, access to social media platforms was restricted, the London-based Internet watchdog NetBlocks said.
"Live metrics show #Turkey has restricted access to multiple social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok; the incident comes as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others are detained in events described by the opposition as a 'coup'," it said.
The governor's office immediately issued a ban on all protests until March 23.
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The CHP had planned several protests including one for Wednesday afternoon over the revocation of Imamoglu's degree, which the mayor vowed to contest in court.
The party was also due to hold a primary on Sunday at which Imamoglu was to have been formally named its candidate for the 2028 elections.
The 53-year-old, who was resoundingly re-elected as mayor of Turkey's largest city last year, has been named in several legal probes, with three new cases opened this year alone.
In 2022, he was handed two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for "insulting" election officials in Istanbul, a sentence that he has appealed.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World: Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main rival, detained amid a corruption probe, sparking criticism from the opposition CHP, who called it a coup attempt.

Turkish police detained Istanbul's powerful mayor Ekrem Imamoglu early Wednesday as part of a corruption probe, a move his opposition CHP party slammed as a "coup". A key figure within the CHP, Imamoglu is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, and his detention comes just days before he was to be named the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Widely seen as the strongest challenger to Erdogan, Imamoglu has faced a string of what critics say are politically motivated legal cases. As reports of his detention emerged, Turkey briefly shut down access to social networks and hundreds of police surrounded City Hall and closed off Taksim Square, with the authorities banning all demonstrations for the next four days. Even so, several hundred people gathered near the Istanbul police headquarters where Imamoglu was taken, angrily chanting "Government resign!" an AFP correspondent said. The move also sparked chaos on financial markets, with the Turkish lira plunging to a historic low of 39 liras against the dollar and the benchmark BIST 100 stock exchange reportedly shedding 6.9 percent. With the exchange website offline, it was not possible for AFP to immediately verify the figures. 'Nothing short of a coup' "Using force to usurp the will of the people or to obstruct it is a coup," CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said on X, his words echoed by many other observers. "What happened this morning was nothing short of a coup against the main opposition party, with far-reaching consequences for Turkey's political trajectory," political scientist Berk Esen at Istanbul's Sabanci University told AFP. The raid occurred just hours after Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu's degree, amid claims it was falsely obtained. In Turkey, presidential candidates must have a higher education qualification. Imamoglu's wife Dilek said police officers turned up around 3:00 am (0000 GMT) and took him away several hours later. "Police officers came right after the sahur and he started to get ready," she said in a video released by the municipality, referring to the meal before the Ramadan fast resumes at dawn. "They left the house around 7:30 am," she said. Also read | Russian and US diplomats to meet in Istanbul amid easing tensions A statement from the Istanbul public prosecutor's office cited charges including bribery and extortion, alleging that Imamoglu was the leader of a "criminal organisation" and that 100 suspects had been rounded up. The move appeared to be in connection with a probe into alleged "tender rigging" by Imamoglu that was opened in 2023. But local reports, including from state news agency Anadolu, said it was also linked to a separate probe for allegedly aiding the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying he was one of seven people detained. 'They panic' On the streets of Istanbul, few were willing to comment and those that did refused to give their names. "Whenever this guy and his dirty team see someone strong, they panic and do something illegal to him," said an Istanbul shopkeeper, referring to Erdogan and his governing AKP party. "They are evil, but amateurs," he added. Shortly after the police raid, access to social media platforms was restricted, the London-based Internet watchdog NetBlocks said. "Live metrics show #Turkey has restricted access to multiple social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok; the incident comes as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others are detained in events described by the opposition as a 'coup'," it said. The governor's office immediately issued a ban on all protests until March 23. Also read | Turkey: Abdullah Ocalan calls for PKK to disband and lay down arms in landmark declaration The CHP had planned several protests including one for Wednesday afternoon over the revocation of Imamoglu's degree, which the mayor vowed to contest in court. The party was also due to hold a primary on Sunday at which Imamoglu was to have been formally named its candidate for the 2028 elections. The 53-year-old, who was resoundingly re-elected as mayor of Turkey's largest city last year, has been named in several legal probes, with three new cases opened this year alone. In 2022, he was handed two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for "insulting" election officials in Istanbul, a sentence that he has appealed. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Erdogan's opponent, Istanbul mayor Ekrem gets detained

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As in prior years, a district governor’s office in İstanbul has announced that the central Taksim neighborhood and its vicinity are prohibited areas for demonstrations or marches on International Women’s Day, March 8.
 In a statement released on Friday, the Beyoğlu district governor’s office announced that no meetings, protests, marches, or demonstrations are permitted in the venues or streets of the area, including Taksim Square.  It stated that the planned Women’s Day march has been prohibited to safeguard public order and national security, prevent crime, and protect the rights and freedoms of others.

Turkey: Thousands March In Istanbul For International Women's Day, Demands End To Patriarchy | Pulse

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Kurds in Syria, Iraq mull future after Turkish leader's statement

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is visiting Pakistan for a two-day diplomatic tour. He will meet Prime Minister and President Zardari and co-chair the Strategic Cooperation Council meeting. Erdogan’s visit is part of his three-nation Asia tour covering Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

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Syria's interim President Ahmed Al Sharaa meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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Türkiye's popular ski hotel engulfed in fire

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A fire at Turkey's popular resort has killed at least 76 people. Turkish authorities have assigned six prosecutors to investigate the tragic incident that took place on Tuesday. Watch in for more details!

Turkey buries 76 killed in ski hotel fire

A fire at a 12-story hotel at a popular ski resort in Turkey on Tuesday killed at least 66 people. At least 51 other people were injured in the disaster. Watch this report for more details!

Turkish ski resort fire claims 66 lives, 51 injured

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/fire">fire </a>engulfed a hotel at the popular Kartalkaya <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ski">ski </a>resort in northwestern Turkey early Tuesday, killing 10 people died and injuring 32 others, the interior minister said.
The blaze at the 12-storey Grand Kartal hotel, which has wooden cladding, started at 3:27 am (0027 GMT), Ali Yerlikaya said on X. &nbsp;
Private NTV broadcaster said three people died after jumping from the hotel's windows.&nbsp;
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/resort">resort </a>is located on top of a mountain range about 170 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of the capital Ankara.&nbsp;
The fire, which is believed to have started in the restaurant at around midnight, spread quickly. It was not immediately clear what caused it.&nbsp;
Television footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky with a snowcapped mountain behind the hotel.
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Part of it backs onto a cliff, making it harder for firefighters to tackle the blaze.&nbsp;
Local media said 237 people were staying at the hotel, where the occupancy rate was between 80 and 90 percent due to the school holidays.
Those evacuated were rehoused in nearby hotels.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said six prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze.&nbsp;
The health, interior and culture ministers are expected to visit the site later in the day.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The resort is located on top of a mountain range about 170 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of the capital Ankara. It was not immediately clear what caused it. Sports. World

A fire engulfed a hotel at the popular Kartalkaya ski resort in northwestern Turkey early Tuesday, killing 10 people died and injuring 32 others, the interior minister said. The blaze at the 12-storey Grand Kartal hotel, which has wooden cladding, started at 3:27 am (0027 GMT), Ali Yerlikaya said on X. Private NTV broadcaster said three people died after jumping from the hotel's windows. The resort is located on top of a mountain range about 170 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of the capital Ankara. The fire, which is believed to have started in the restaurant at around midnight, spread quickly. It was not immediately clear what caused it. Television footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky with a snowcapped mountain behind the hotel. Also Read: Australian Open 2025: Alexander Zverev beats Tommy Paul and a 'feather' to reach semis Part of it backs onto a cliff, making it harder for firefighters to tackle the blaze. Local media said 237 people were staying at the hotel, where the occupancy rate was between 80 and 90 percent due to the school holidays. Those evacuated were rehoused in nearby hotels. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said six prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze. The health, interior and culture ministers are expected to visit the site later in the day. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Fire at Turkey ski resort hotel kills 10, injures 32

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Syria crisis: Strikes hit civilian convoy heading for protest against Turkey

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