Turkey’s government denounced opposition calls for a mass commercial boycott following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu that sparked nationwide protests, describing them on Wednesday as an economic “sabotage attempt”.
After the mayor was detained two weeks ago, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) had called for a boycott of goods and services from companies with perceived ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
That call widened on Wednesday to include a halt to all shopping for one day, prompting some shops to close in solidarity with those criticizing the arrest as a politicized and anti-democratic attempt to hurt the opposition’s electoral prospects.
On Tuesday prosecutors launched an investigation into those advocating the boycott calls on social and traditional media.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said it was probing calls that allegedly sought to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity, citing possible violations of laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility.
https://english.aawsat.com/business/5128076-türkiye-denounces-opposition-calls-day-no-shopping%C2%A0