Imamoglu's swift statement on Halk TV detentions: 'They are in great anxiety'

Journalist Barış Pehlivan was detained on the grounds of an interview he conducted with expert witness S.B., whom Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu had exposed. Following Pehlivan, detention orders were also issued for Seda Selek and Serhan Asker.

The operation against Halk TV continued today, and most recently, Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş and Programs Manager Kürşad Oğuz were also detained from the channel's Istanbul studio.

'THE KEYSTONE HAS BEEN PULLED'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu issued a statement regarding the detention orders issued for numerous journalists from Halk TV.

Highlights from Imamoglu's statement are as follows:

"I state with sadness that we are experiencing a process where those in charge do not know what they are doing and are damaging the fundamental values of society. The issue has made them very uneasy. After we exposed an expert witness involved in this conspiracy order, we frankly pulled their keystone, and it collapsed. They were left under the wall. In the process of trying to recover, they are attacking everywhere. The media outlets that act as their mouthpieces every day publish interviews regarding the same issue and person. But there is no penalty for these media organizations, while they are making an effort to penalize our friends at Halk TV who acted in a similar situation. The keystone has been pulled, and the conspiracy order has been exposed. They are in a state of great anxiety and panic."

RESPONSE TO MINISTER OF JUSTICE YILMAZ TUNC

Imamoglu also responded to the statements made by Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç regarding him.

The IBB Mayor said the following:

"They think they can intimidate us. But they are mistaken; my struggle against them will continue until democracy is established. An investigation is being opened against me, but there is no investigation into the expert witness, who is committing forgery. We feel the power of the nation behind us. This unlawful order they want to establish will disappear from the country.

The Minister spoke exactly as I expected. Now I am asking him; 'Mr. Minister, does your word carry weight in Istanbul or not?' Let him answer that. I hope this process ends with the pressure of the sensible members of the judiciary in this country, and the journalists regain their freedom. I asked the Minister, 'Does his word carry weight in Istanbul or not?' Let him answer that, and stop insulting me. Look, he still cannot answer; he is busy with polemics and insults."