Justice Minister Tunc denies claims of US involvement in Imamoglu’s arrest

Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc has firmly rejected claims made by opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, who suggested that former U.S. President Donald Trump was aware of the possibility of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s arrest before it occurred.

Tunc responded angrily to questions about the claim, calling it “absurd” and “completely unfounded.” He emphasized that such an allegation could not be true, stating, “How could this possibly be the case?”

Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), had earlier implied that U.S. authorities, including Trump, were informed about Imamoglu’s potential legal troubles. He stated, “There are claims that the matter was raised with the U.S., and that even Trump knew about it. Yet, no one is commenting on it. We all know there are connections across the ocean.”

Tunc strongly rejected these claims, reaffirming the independence of Turkiye’s judiciary and denying any foreign involvement in the matter.