Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner has called off his upcoming early April trip to Istanbul following the arrest of the city’s beloved mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. Wegner voiced his deep concern over the situation in Turkey, particularly regarding the imprisonment of İmamoğlu, who was detained on March 19 and faced corruption charges leading to his arrest. This event, which included the arrests of two other district mayors, has triggered widespread protests across Turkey.
Expressing solidarity with İmamoğlu, Wegner emphasised the vital necessity of upholding the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and the principles of fair competition and free elections in any democracy. He declared, “Given the ongoing detention of my counterpart, I will cancel my trip planned for early April. Solidarity with Ekrem İmamoğlu.”
Istanbul stands as one of Berlin’s many sister cities, and Wegner previously hosted İmamoğlu during a visit to Berlin last June. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), labelled İmamoğlu’s arrest as an affront, asserting it was a manoeuvre to weaken a strong political opponent to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Germany has unified in its condemnation of İmamoğlu’s arrest, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, stating that the detention is “totally unacceptable” and must be resolved transparently. This reflects a concerning trend observed by many, harking back to a prior visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, where the political significance of İmamoğlu was noted, positioning him as a potential successor to Erdoğan.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner has cancelled a trip to Istanbul in response to the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on corruption charges. Wegner expressed concern over the rule of law in Turkey and showed solidarity with İmamoğlu. His arrest has provoked nationwide protests and condemnation from Germany, highlighting tensions between democracy and political repression.
The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu has not only sparked protests in Turkey but has also drawn international attention, particularly from Germany. Mayor Wegner’s cancellation of his trip to Istanbul reflects a growing solidarity with İmamoğlu and an assertion of democratic values. The ramifications of İmamoğlu’s detention continue to reverberate, highlighting the fraught political landscape in Turkey and the international community’s concern for democratic processes.
Original Source: www.turkishminute.com
