Turkish authorities detained an opposition district mayor in Istanbul along with five others on Wednesday. The arrests follow alleged irregularities regarding building and occupancy permits. The mayor is described as a rising figure who gained control of one of the city's most symbolically important conservative districts.
On Thursday, police detained the opposition mayor of Ankara's Etimesgut district. According to the Interior Ministry, the mayor and 51 other suspects were taken into custody as part of a graft investigation.
Prosecutors identified the Etimesgut mayor as Erdal Besikcioglu, a former TV actor, who was arrested for corruption. These detentions are part of a latest wave of arrests targeting the opposition, contributing to a wider crackdown that has reshaped the country's political landscape.