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Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

'Never lose hope', Istanbul mayor tells supporters amid arrest

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 23 Mar 2025 18:52
3 Min Read

The corruption probe has widened to include more than 90 individuals, among them several senior officials from the Istanbul municipality who were also detained.

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  • Protesters shout slogans during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
    Protesters shout slogans during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP)

Never be sad, never be despondent, never lose hope, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said Sunday, addressing his supporters as he faces an arrest and possible criminal charges over alleged corruption. 

"Never be sad, never be despondent, never lose hope. We will... remove this black stain on our democracy with our own hands. The day will come when people in charge of this process will answer before the Almighty, both in this world and the next. I stand tall, I will never be broken. Everything will be great," Imamoglu wrote on X, addressing his supporters on Sunday.

Imamoglu, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)'s sole presidential candidate, was taken into custody earlier this week on corruption charges. His message comes amid rising political tensions and protests across Istanbul, where demonstrators have defied bans on public gatherings to condemn what many see as politically motivated charges.

On the same day as Imamoglu's address, Turkish media reported new legal developments. Sozcu TV confirmed that a court had issued a formal arrest warrant for Imamoglu, while Star newspaper reported that a separate request for his arrest in a terrorism investigation was rejected. According to Halk TV, the mayor plans to challenge the decision, with the final ruling expected from the Constitutional Court.

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The corruption probe has widened to include more than 90 individuals, among them several senior officials from the Istanbul municipality who were also detained. Imamoglu was first taken into custody on Wednesday.

Read more: Istanbul mayor Imamoglu denies terror, corruption allegations

Despite the arrest, the CHP went ahead with its primaries on Sunday to select a candidate for a likely snap presidential election, reaffirming Imamoglu's position as their nominee.

"I do not intend to give in," Imamoglu stated, rejecting what he views as an attempt to pressure him out of the race.

The government's critics argue that the arrest is part of a broader effort to sideline President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most serious challengers ahead of the 2028 election. Imamoglu's popularity, especially in Turkey's largest city, has positioned him as a potential threat to Erdogan's hold on power, making the legal actions against him all the more contentious.

 

  • Turkey
  • Ekrem Imamoglu
  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Istanbul

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