Istanbul, Sept 18, (dpa/GNA) – Turkish authorities have suspended another mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), as part of a corruption investigation.
The Interior Ministry said Istanbul’s Bayrampasa district mayor Hasan Mutlu,was removed from office on Wednesday after being jailed on charges including bribery and bid-rigging the day before.
The ministry described the move as a temporary measure on X.
Mutlu is the 18th CHP mayor currently in pre-trial detention. The party, which scored a surprise victory in nationwide municipal elections in 2024, says it is being targeted in a politically motivated campaign by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
In March, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested on terrorism and corruption charges and removed from office, triggering nationwide protests.
Imamoglu is widely seen as Erdogan’s strongest potential challenger in future elections.
GNA