this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/27386046

For better context in the broader timeline: Yesterday, the government pressured the university he graduated from to falsify his diploma. Law enforcement previously conducted raids and arrested various elected mayors, and is also keeping Umit Ozdag, leader of Zafer Party in jail without any reasonable justification.

Istanbul Republic Chief Prosecution Office has ordered arrest on 100 people that include politicians, journalists and businessmen, and Erdogan's biggest rival candidate for president, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is also the current mayor of Istanbul.

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[–] robbinhood@lemmy.world 76 points 1 day ago (2 children)

From CNN:

" The move to detain the mayor of Turkey’s largest city, a key political battleground, comes after Istanbul University said on Tuesday it had annulled Imamoglu’s degree over irregularities, dealing a blow to the opposition and dashing the mayor’s presidential ambitions.

Without a university degree, Imamoglu of the main opposition CHP, would be disqualified from running for president.

Imamoglu said the university’s decision was illegal and outside its jurisdiction, and that he would launch a legal challenge “The decision of the Istanbul University Board of Directors is UNLAWFUL” he said. “The days when those who made this decision will be held accountable before history and justice are near.”

---- Yeah Erdogan isn't even pretending any more. Clearly just a move to take out the opposition.

[–] AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can some other university give him an honorary degree?

[–] boreengreen@lemm.ee 16 points 1 day ago

Probably not without angering the current administration and getting thrown in jail. Also they would argue it is illegal. I'm just an internet bozo, though.

[–] Creat@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 1 day ago

He has been a wannabe Putin for quite some time now.

[–] Floopquist@lemmy.org 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sad times. Another hit on freedom and democracy.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Lol, come on now, Turkey was declared a dictatorship almost a decade ago.

Any opposition surely is a step up for them, but inconsequential without a force capable of challenging the entire Turkish government.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 44 points 1 day ago

Translation of the headline above:

Ekrem İmamoğlu was taken into custody - Sözcü Newspaper
ibb President Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained. Police teams are searching at Imamoglu's house. For more than 100 business people and journalists, detention was also taken for detention. Some subway stations were closed in Istanbul, the police's permissions were removed.

This is not the first time Erdogan has done this over the years. Since 2002! That alone says a lot.

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/country/turkiye
https://freedomhouse.org/country/turkey

[–] MrSilkworm@lemmy.ml 27 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Erdogan probably wants to take the upper hand in his country now that his orange friend Is in the white house again. Trump loves strong men and he ll try to copy Erdogans playbook for his own purposes.

He wants to intermediate between the USA, EU and Ukraine on the one side, Russia, Iran and China on the other, just to squeeze both for his own interests.

Turkish politics have been like this for the last 100 years at least and everyone in the west falls for it.

Turkey is not a real nor honest friend/ally of the west. Better of without them and Erdogan

[–] grue@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The west tolerates Turkey's bullshit because it controls the Bosporus. Nothing more, nothing less.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Also, technically they are not the worst Middle Eastern ally of the West. Maybe giving Israel the go-ahead for their genocide showed that nobody cares about democracy and the rule of law in that part of the world anyway.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The Turkish people are more European than Middle-Eastern. Especially the educated ones in Ankara and along the western coastlines. If they can oust that geriatric wannabe dictator, it's going to be the best country to live in for me.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Don't get me wrong, I really hope for this to be a watershed moment for ousting Erdogan. We are all on the same side here.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

My hope is not dead yet - it's more likely for Turkey to go back to democracy in the next years than it is e.g. for Hungary - or for the divided states of america, for that matter.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hungary is currently making a serious effort. If nothing changes, Orbán loses the next election and either has to flee the country or go to jail in 2026.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I really hope that this happens, but I haven't seen any news indicating this. Got a few good sources?

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 4 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

Read telex.hu/english to catch up. Biggest independent news site in Hungary, financed by readers (that's what the popup is about, it's not a paywall).

For example this article.

Orbán has been in the minority for months now, not just in polls but actual crowd turnout as well.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 1 points 23 minutes ago

Wow. Thank you for the link. Fingers crossed for Hungary and Europe!

[–] Paragone@lemmy.world 1 points 56 minutes ago

There is the problem of "elections", however: dictators have this .. habit .. of having "elections" which produce the officially-desired results..

I remember that election in the Phillipines, when a Marcos got elected..

NO Western "journalism" reported on it, from what I could see, but after the variability of the 1st few polls, reporting in, suddenly ALL the polling-stations were reporting 2/3rds for Marcos, always..

NO population votes that way.

I pray Hungary can get clear of him, XOR I pray that the EU can evict Hungary, as Orban's a Putin-ally within the EU, & that's suicidal, now.

PS: thank you for linking to a good information-source for Hungary, for us..

_ /\ _

[–] Zoldyck@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

Erdogan really wants Turkey to be even more of a dictatorship. What a cunt