ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish governmental actions have intensified, marked by the detention of a well-known investigative reporter and four of his associates, alongside the replacement of an elected pro-Kurdish mayor with an appointed official on Wednesday, highlighting a recent trend of suppressing dissent and opposition.
Critics assert that this crackdown is in response to significant electoral defeats faced by the ruling party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the municipal elections held in March. Additionally, there are rising demands for early national elections. Officials from the government maintain that the judiciary operates with autonomy and deny allegations that the legal proceedings against opposition figures are influenced by political motives.
Baris Pehlivan, the investigative journalist, was taken into custody late Tuesday, along with Serhan Asker, the chief editor of Halk TV, and presenter Seda Selek, as reported by the channel. Their detentions coincided with the airing of a recorded phone conversation between Pehlivan and an expert appointed by the courts for providing expertise. Critics claim that this expert has been giving biased reports aimed at the mayors from the principal opposition party.
On Wednesday, Asker and Selek were released from detention under the condition that they maintain regular check-ins with the police. However, authorities simultaneously apprehended two additional journalists from Halk TV, a station known for its opposition stance. The journalists are potentially facing charges related to the unauthorized disclosure of private conversations and attempts to influence a witness.
In a related move, the government has dismissed Sofya Alagas, the elected mayor of Siirt, appointing the regional governor in her stead, citing her recent conviction on terrorism-related allegations. Alagas’s ouster marks the eighth removal of a mayor affiliated with the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party since the municipal elections concluded on March 31, as reported by the party.
Recently, Turkish authorities have also detained Umit Ozdag, the leader of a far-right opposition party, for inciting violence through a series of posts on social media that criticized refugees. Additionally, Ayse Barim, a talent agent who has represented notable Turkish actors and is associated with the 2013 nationwide anti-government protests, was arrested recently. She faces accusations of attempting to overthrow the government, which she vehemently denies.
Further complicating the political landscape, Ekrem Imamoglu, the acclaimed mayor of Istanbul and a possible rival to Erdogan in forthcoming elections, is set to testify in probes initiated against him following his comments critical of investigations targeting opposition-run municipalities. Imamoglu has been sentenced to two years and seven months in prison on charges related to insulting officials of Turkey’s electoral board. Should his conviction be upheld by an appellate court, he may face a political disqualification.
Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the primary opposition party, remarked on Tuesday that the spate of injustices and legal violations are fueled by the ruling party’s inability to accept their setbacks, specifically referring to the outcomes of the March 31 elections.
In response to allegations concerning the detention of journalists as a means to stifle dissenting media voices, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc refuted such claims. He emphasized that no investigations are directed at journalistic activities and asserted that journalists in Turkey are not exempt from the law. Tunc maintained that while freedom of the press and expression are honored within the country, individuals are bound to adhere to the law.
