Istanbul on alert: 22 city arrest warrants following Imamoglu's detention

This development occurs just two months after the arrest of the city's mayor, Ekrem ãomoglu, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's strongest political rivals.

Imamoglu, who has denied any charges, was officially arrested on March 23rd, just five days after being detained and on the same day as Republican People's Party presidential candidate (CHP) was declared.

Following his arrest, he was suspended from office by the Interior Ministry's decision.

The latest legal crackdown includes other high-ranking city figures, including Press, Publishing and Public Relations Chief Taner Cetin.

Earlier, in late April, more than 50 people were arrested on charges involving bribery and participation in a criminal organization.

Among them was the municipality's Bosphorus Zone Manager Elcin Karaoglu.

The opposition, according to Euronews.al, has reacted sharply to these developments. CHP Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır accused authorities of political targeting the mayors:

There is a system, whose sole goal is to prevent Istanbul Metropolitan Together from functioning”, he said.

President Erdogan, meanwhile, has hinted that the investigations would deepen, declaring: “This is the reason for their panic. ”

Imamoglu's arrest sparked massive protests in many cities in Turkey, with strong civic participation and clashes with law enforcement.