The European Commission urged Turkey to “uphold democratic values” amid mass protests over the arrest of Istanbul' mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
“The arrest of the mayor İmamoğlu and the protesters give rise to the questions regarding Turkey’s adherence to its long-established democratic traditions. As a Council of Europe member and EU candidate, Turkey must uphold democratic values. The rights of elected officials as well as right of peaceful demonstration need to be fully respected,” Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said.
Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested Sunday on corruption charges and booted out of his office. Protests have now roiled Turkey for nearly a week.
