Lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan refused to testify, citing the lack of required permission from the Justice Ministry.
A lawyer representing the suspended ?stanbul Mayor Ekrem ?mamo?lu, who is currently in pretrial detention, has been arrested as part of a widening investigation targeting the municipality.
Attorney Mehmet Pehlivan was detained late yesterday after being summoned by the ?stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. He refused to testify, citing the lack of required permission from the Justice Ministry under the Attorneyship Law.
Following his refusal, prosecutors requested his arrest on charges of “membership in a criminal organization.” Pehlivan was subsequently brought before a criminal judgeship of peace, which ruled in favor of his detention.
Pehlivan was previously detained on Mar 27 under the Law on the Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime. He denied all accusations and was released after one day, under an international travel ban.
The ?stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is treating ?mamo?lu as a “suspect in leading a criminal organization,” according to the case file.
Background
?mamo?lu was detained on Mar 19 and remanded in custody four days later on corruption charges, sparking widespread protests across the country, particularly in ?stanbul.
The Interior Ministry suspended him from his mayoral duties following his arrest while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) declared ?mamo?lu its presidential candidate for the next elextions, scheduled for 2028.
While the opposition views ?mamo?lu’s imprisonment as politically motivated given he was considered a strong challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, the investigation has broadened since March.
[…]
https://bianet.org/haber/istanbul-mayor-s-lawyer-arrested-in-same-corruption-investigation-308621
Turkey: ?stanbul mayor’s lawyer arrested in same corruption investigation
