Turkish authorities detained three more mayors from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Saturday, escalating a months-long crackdown that has targeted hundreds of party members, including high-profile figures like Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office stated that the mayors of three southern cities—Adana, Antalya, and Adiyaman—were detained over allegations of extortion, along with eight others.

CHP officials confirmed the detentions, with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas announcing on social media: "Our Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek, and Adiyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere have been detained."

Broadcaster NTV reported that the arrests were part of a sweeping investigation launched in October, which has so far implicated hundreds of CHP members, including 11 mayors.

The highest-profile arrest in recent months was that of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a potential challenger in the 2028 elections. Imamoglu, jailed in March on corruption charges he denies, remains in custody awaiting trial. His arrest sparked the largest protests in Turkey in a decade.

This week, former Izmir Mayor Tunc Soyer and 137 municipal officials were detained over alleged tender-rigging and fraud. On Friday, Soyer and 59 others were formally jailed pending trial—a move his lawyer called "clearly unjust, unlawful, and politically motivated."

Additionally, the CHP mayor of Manavgat, a resort city in Antalya province, and 34 others were detained Friday over corruption allegations, according to state media.

The CHP has repeatedly denied the allegations against its members, which include organized crime, bribery, and tender manipulation. The party argues that the investigations are an attempt by Erdogan’s government to weaken opposition after the CHP’s sweeping victory in the 2024 local elections.

The Turkish government insists that prosecutors and the judiciary are acting independently, dismissing claims that the crackdown is linked to the CHP’s electoral success. However, critics accuse Erdogan of steering Turkey toward authoritarianism, particularly amid a deepening economic crisis marked by soaring inflation and a plummeting lira.