Officials interpret criticism of plans for new Istanbul waterway as direct challenge to civilian government
Turkey has detained 10 retired admirals over their public criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “crazy” Istanbul canal project, which seeks to create a new route for the city from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
The arrest warrants issued on Monday came a day after a group of 104 former senior navy officials signed an open letter warning that the proposed canal could harm Turkish security by invalidating an 85-year-old international treaty designed to prevent militarisation of the Black Sea.
