DEM Party slams gov’t over İmamoğlu arrest

ANKARA

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) has said it strongly rejects the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu for baseless reasons and political purposes.

“The will of millions of people has been intervened with the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his friends,” co-chairman of the DEM Party, Tuncer Bakırhan, said in a statement on his social media on March 23.

DEM’s co-leader recalled growing social unrest in the country since İmamoğlu’s detention on March 19 and blamed the government for disrupting peace.

“Staging a coup against the will of 16 million people’s will has further triggered political, social and economic tensions,” Bakırhan stated, condemning attempts to disrespect the people’s will.

“I call on [the government] to retreat from this decision in the fastest way possible. We will continue our struggle against the attempts to hijack people’s will from Hakkari to İstanbul,” he stated.