The political crisis in Turkey is deepening after the arrest of 13 people in connection with an investigation into the 2023 congress of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP). This operation comes just days after a bombshell court ruling that ousted the party's leader, Özgür Özel.
According to Turkish state media, the arrests were carried out on Saturday as part of an investigation into the congress at which Özgür Özel was elected head of the CHP in 2023. The authorities did not specify the precise charges against those arrested.
On Thursday, a Turkish appeals court annulled the congress, citing "irregularities" without providing further public explanation. This decision sent shockwaves through the country politically and reignited tensions surrounding the independence of the Turkish judiciary.
Following this decision, former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated as party leader. A historical figure of the opposition, he had been defeated earlier this year in the presidential election by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The dismissal of Özgür Özel comes amid already tense relations between the government and the opposition. The CHP regularly accuses the authorities of seeking to weaken President Erdoğan's main rival movement through judicial and administrative means.
The events of the past few days have sparked outrage among opposition supporters, with some denouncing an attempt at political interference in the party's internal affairs. The court ruling and the arrests could now trigger a new wave of protests and further polarize the Turkish political landscape.
This case also risks fueling international criticism regarding the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey, at a time when Ankara is already facing strong diplomatic pressure on issues of civil liberties.
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