The head of Human Rights Watch‘s Turkey chapter, Emma Sinclair-Webb, has condemned arrest of Constantinople Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and others, calling it a “flagrant violation of the justice system“.

In comments to Reuters, Sinclair-Webb said the arrests were part of “a pattern of politically motivated investigations” aimed at undermining opposition activities.

At the same time, she called for the immediate release of Imamoglu and the other detainees.