Turkish police today arrested nine city council members belonging to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) allegedly on “terrorism-related” charges, state-run TRT network reported, continuing a crackdown against the country’s largest opposition party.

A Constantinople prosecutor ordered the arrest of two deputy mayors and seven other city council members from nine wards in the country’s largest city on charges of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the arrested city council members were elected as part of an election deal between the CHP and the pro-Kurdish DEM party – the third largest in parliament – according to TRT.

Some municipalities have recently faced investigations that have resulted in many of their mayors being charged with terrorism and corruption-related offenses.

The CHP denies the charges and claims the investigations are politically motivated.

The government rejects accusations of political interference in the cases and claims the judiciary is independent.

Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a CHP member considered a possible contender for the Turkish presidency, has faced several judicial investigations in connection with comments he made criticizing the investigations into the city’s municipalities.

“These people were suddenly labeled ‘terrorists’ for some reason after the election even though they continued their ways until the election,” Imamoglu wrote in X, again accusing the government of using the judiciary as a political weapon.

In municipal elections held in Turkey nearly a year ago, the CHP won in most major cities, including Istanbul and the capital Ankara, and recorded significant successes in the provinces dominated by Erdogan’s party.

In addition, Abdullah Zeidan, the mayor of the eastern province of Van, which belongs to the DEM party, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison for “attempting to aid a terrorist organization,” TRT reported.

Several DEM mayors have been removed from office by the Interior Ministry on terrorism charges.

The moves come as talks backed by the Erdogan government are being held with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in an attempt to end the 40-year conflict between the Kurdish group and the Turkish state.