Summary
- Istanbul Mayor's jailing rocked Turkey with street protests.
- Mayor Imamoglu is President Erdogan's main political rival.
- Erdogan blames the opposition CHP party for unrest and damage.
- The interior minister claims that protests injured 123 police officers.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that protests over the
jailing of Istanbul's mayor had become a "movement of violence" and
that the main opposition party would be held accountable for injured police
officers and property damage.
The detention last Wednesday of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main
political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Turkey in more
than a decade. On Sunday, a court, pending trial, jailed him on corruption
charges that he denies.
The Republican People's Party (CHP) of Imamoglu's opposition says that the
charges against him are undemocratic and motivated by politics. Erdogan's
government denies these claims. Despite a ban imposed on street gatherings in
many cities, the mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations continued for a
fifth consecutive night on Sunday, with hundreds of thousands taking part and
the CHP's leader, Ozgur Ozel, calling for the nationwide protests to continue.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said the CHP should stop
"provoking" citizens.
"As a nation, we followed with surprise the events that emerged after
the main opposition leader's call to take to the streets following an
Istanbul-based corruption operation turned into a movement of violence,"
the 71-year-old president said.
"The main opposition is responsible for our (injured) police officers,
the broken windows of our shopkeepers, and the damaged public property. They
will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by
the judiciary."
Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of
"terrorizing" the streets and threatening national security. During
the five days of protests, he stated, 1,133 people had been detained and 123
police officers had been injured. A CHP delegation met Istanbul's governor to
discuss the police crackdown on the protesters. The party's Istanbul head, Ozgur
Celik, said the police actions on Sunday night had been the most violent so
far, with many protesters being hospitalized.
JAILED 'FOR NO REASON'
Imamoglu, 54, was jailed pending trial on Sunday, as the CHP held a primary
election to name him presidential candidate. Some 15 million votes were cast in
support of the mayor.
News of Imamoglu's arrest covered the front pages of Turkish newspapers on
Monday, with opposition media suggesting the mayor was arrested for being the
most credible challenger to Erdogan.
The mayor's supporters said the jailing of Imamoglu demonstrated a lack of
justice in Turkey.
"I think there is an injustice committed against Imamoglu. They put the
man in prison for no reason," said Adem Bali, a 22-year-old construction
worker.
Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades and
faces no immediate tests at the ballot box, said the events of the past few
days showed that the CHP was not fit to run local municipalities, let alone the
nation.
He also sought to reassure investors who last week sold off Turkish assets
following news of Imamoglu's detention, sending stocks, bonds, and the lira
currency tumbling and prompting the central bank to intervene with foreign
exchange sales and other stabilizing measures.
"Our main priority is protecting macro-financial stability. The Treasury
and finance ministry, the central bank, and all relevant institutions, with our
support, are working day and night in full coordination, taking every necessary
step," Erdogan said.
The Istanbul bourse benchmark index (.XU100) opened a new tab and pared back
some losses on Monday after suffering a fall of 16.6% last week, its worst drop
since the global financial crisis in October 2008.
Analysts expect a prolonged period of political turmoil and uncertainty.
"The protests mark the most significant and widespread public reaction
in over a decade, making the trajectory of events difficult to predict,"
said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo consultancy.
"Once again, President Erdogan's political agenda has inflicted serious
damage on Turkey's economic outlook."
