Turkish police detained nine district municipal council members from the Republican People's Party (CHP) on terrorism-related charges on Tuesday, state broadcaster TRT said, continuing a crackdown on the country's main opposition party.
An Istanbul prosecutor ordered the detention of two deputy mayors and another seven municipal council members from nine districts in Turkey's largest city over alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The prosecutor's office said in a statement that the detained municipal council members had been voted in as part of an electoral pact between the CHP and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which is parliament's third largest, according to TRT.
Some CHP-run municipalities have faced investigations recently that have resulted in several mayors being charged with terrorism and corruption offenses. The CHP denies the charges and says the investigations are politically motivated.
The government dismisses accusations of political interference in the cases and says the judiciary is independent.