"The arrest of the popular mayor of Istanbul is a slap in the face for the democratic opposition. With assembly bans, restrictions on press freedom and reprisals against the opposition, Turkey under Erdogan is increasingly turning from a democracy into an autocracy. The country is being deprived of fair elections," said Janik. "My solidarity goes out to all people who are courageously opposing these developments," Janik continued. Riza Akpolat, mayor of the Istanbul district of Beşiktaş, had already been arrested at the end of January. Erlangen has been twinned with the district since 2003.

In response to the imprisonment and removal from office of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the Executive Committee of the Association of German Cities passed a resolution on the situation in Turkey last week. EUROCITIES has also issued a similar declaration. Lord Mayor Florian Janik supports this declaration.