Riot police clashed with supporters of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Monday after a court ruling removed its Istanbul provincial leadership, as reported by Reuters.
Outside the party’s provincial office, police used pepper spray and detained protesters as hundreds gathered to oppose the decision. Inside, CHP lawmakers piled tables and chairs to block entry.
«Today, they are not only trying to evacuate the building from CHP supporters here, but they are actually attempting to dismantle democracy,» said CHP MP Gokhan Gunaydin in a live broadcast from behind the barricade.
Last week, a court ordered the removal of Istanbul provincial head Ozgur Celik over alleged irregularities and named former deputy chair Gursel Tekin as interim leader. The CHP rejected the ruling as «null and void,» saying Tekin had been expelled from the party.
Tekin arrived at the office under police escort, telling reporters: «I am not working for the state. I will help solve the CHP’s problems.»
The standoff comes amid a year-long crackdown on the CHP, with hundreds of members arrested. The party says the moves are designed to weaken the opposition ahead of elections, while the government insists the judiciary is independent.
Access to major social media platforms, including X, Instagram and YouTube, was restricted in Turkey during the protests, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve a one-year prison sentence stemming from past conviction.
