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BREAKING
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.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Istanbul mayor Imamoglu denies terror, corruption allegations

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Mar 2025 19:50
3 Min Read

Imamoglu was taken into custody on Wednesday as part of a broader investigation into an organization accused of bribery, graft, and supporting terrorism.

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  • People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
    People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP)

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has rejected allegations linking him to corruption and terrorism, as nationwide protests grow in response to his detention and Turkish authorities ramp up arrests of demonstrators.

According to Turkish broadcaster A Haber, Imamoglu spent five hours testifying on Saturday in connection with charges that he appointed individuals with alleged links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to municipal positions. He is expected to appear in court later in the evening at 7:30 p.m. local time (16:30 GMT).

Dismissing the allegations, Imamoglu defended his campaign activities and denied employing individuals affiliated with the PKK. "Contacts he had with various political parties during the election campaign were natural," he said, adding that his detention "undermined Turkiye's democracy."

Political Unrest

Imamoglu was taken into custody on Wednesday as part of a broader investigation into an organization accused of bribery, graft, and supporting terrorism. His arrest, widely viewed as politically charged, has triggered an outpouring of opposition protests across Turkiye.

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Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Saturday that 343 people were arrested in nine provinces during demonstrations overnight. He also said 16 police officers were injured during the clashes, and 54 individuals were detained for "incitement to hatred" through online posts.

Read more: Imamoglu declared as opposition presidential candidate despite arrest

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul condemned what he described as attempts to incite violence. "There are parties inciting citizens and pushing them to clash with security forces," he stated. "These individuals and those cooperating with them are committing a clear crime." He further warned that Turkish authorities would not allow this "dirty plan" to succeed and that "everyone will be held accountable in court." 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the opposition's reaction to the arrest. "The country's opposition had ‘lost balance,' resorting to threatening police, judges and prosecutors," he said on Thursday.

Defiant Mobilization

Despite the crackdown, the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkiye's main opposition bloc, is pressing forward with further demonstrations. "The squares are ours, the streets are ours. We are meeting in Sarachane [the district of Istanbul where the city administration building is located] tonight at 8.30 p.m.," the CHP announced on X.

The party has also vowed to proceed with its primary vote on Sunday to formally nominate Imamoglu as its candidate for the 2028 presidential election. In a show of defiance, the CHP opened the primary to all citizens, declaring: "Come to the ballot box and say ‘no' to the coup attempt!"

Authorities have heightened security measures across Istanbul, especially around police headquarters and key administrative buildings, as tensions remain high and protests continue to spread.

  • Turkey
  • Ekrem Imamoglu
  • Turkish elections
  • Turkiye

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