Erdogan accuses opposition of wrecking Turkey’s economy during protests

Turkey’s president accuses the political opposition of “sinking the economy” during the country’s largest protests in more than a decade over the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, the biggest challenger to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule.

The party of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has called for a boycott of companies that it says support Erdogan’s government. The Turkish president accuses the opposition of being “so desperate that they would throw the country and the nation into the fire.”

In his address to lawmakers with his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Erdogan adds that “sabotage targeting the Turkish economy will be held accountable before the courts.”

Imamoglu was arrested a week ago. He faces charges related to corruption and supporting terrorism within the Istanbul municipality alongside some 90 other suspects. A court ordered him to be imprisoned Sunday. A trial date has not been announced. Many consider the case against Imamoglu to be politically motivated. The government says the judiciary is free of political influence.

The evidence against Imamoglu has not been officially disclosed. Many Turkish media outlets have reported that it is largely based on “secret witnesses.” The use of such testimony has been seen in previous criminal cases against opposition politicians.