Council of Europe Condemns Detention of Istanbul Mayor

The Council of Europe has condemned the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's Mayor and President Erdogan's main political rival, as undermining the democratic will of the people. A congress on local and regional authorities plans to address this issue in an upcoming meeting.

The Council of Europe has issued a strong condemnation of the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the Mayor of Istanbul and a prominent political opponent to President Tayyip Erdogan. The move is described as an affront to democratic principles and the will of the Turkish people.

In their statement, the Council of Europe's conference on local and regional authorities emphasized the detention's troubling implications, identifying it as significant pressure on a key political figure. This incident highlights growing concerns over political freedom in Turkey.

The council announced its intention to further address the situation in an upcoming meeting, underscoring the international ramifications and the council's commitment to upholding democratic values.

(With inputs from agencies.)