Turkey rejects ‘prejudiced’ comments over arrest of former Istanbul mayor

Turkey rejects “prejudiced” statements from the international community about the arrest of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and the nationwide protests triggered by it, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on Thursday.

Speaking to international media in Istanbul, Tunc also said Ankara had asked European countries to act with common sense on the matter.

Imamoglu’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and Western countries have all said the case against Imamoglu was a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to President Tayyip Erdogan. The government denies this.