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Crackdown deepens as Turkey targets opposition leader Ozgur Ozel

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Jun 2025 14:06
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Following the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Turkish authorities expand their crackdown by targeting CHP leader Ozgur Ozel in a move critics call politically motivated.

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Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel delivers a speech during a CHP rally in Ankara, Turkey, on Sunday, April 6, 2025 (AP)

Turkish prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), intensifying what observers describe as a deepening crackdown on political dissent.

The probe, announced by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office, accuses Ozel of threatening and insulting the city’s chief prosecutor following comments made during a rally in Istanbul on Wednesday. His remarks criticized what he described as the judiciary's role in targeting opposition leaders.

The move comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration continues its campaign against senior CHP figures. At the center of the storm is Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a popular political rival to Erdogan who has been polling ahead of the president in some recent surveys.

Imamoglu, widely seen as the opposition's most formidable challenger, was jailed in March while awaiting trial on corruption charges he vehemently denies. His arrest triggered nationwide protests, market jitters, and mounting allegations of political interference in the judiciary.

Critics argue the government is systematically using the legal system to silence dissent and neutralize rivals ahead of potential snap elections. Officials, however, maintain that Turkey’s courts operate independently.

CHP condemns 'system of lawlessness'

CHP spokesperson Deniz Yucel condemned the probe against Ozel, posting on X: “We will not succumb to this system of lawlessness that you have created.” The party has accused Erdogan’s government of weaponizing the judiciary to weaken the opposition and erode local power bases, particularly in Istanbul, long a political battleground.

Since İmamoglu’s arrest, Turkish authorities have detained numerous CHP-affiliated figures, including Istanbul municipal officials and members of other CHP-run local governments.

This month, Turkish regulators blocked access to Imamoglu’s X account, further fueling accusations of digital censorship and state control over political messaging. Human rights organizations and international observers have raised alarms about the tightening grip on political speech in Turkey, especially as the government escalates legal threats against opposition leadership.

The investigation into Ozgur Ozel marks a new phase in Turkey’s intensifying political clampdown, with the CHP warning that the country’s democratic institutions are under direct assault.