Mass Protests Erupt in Turkey After Arrest of Istanbul Mayor
Protests have erupted across Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key opposition figure to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu was detained last week on corruption charges, which he denies, and formally jailed pending trial on Sunday. His supporters, along with the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), claim the charges are politically motivated to block him from running in the 2028 presidential election. Despite bans on public gatherings, demonstrations have spread across multiple cities, with police responding with water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. Over 1,100 people, including journalists, have been detained since the protests began.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya defended the crackdown, stating that authorities would not allow "terrorizing of the streets" and that 123 police officers had been injured. He also claimed that protesters had used fireworks, Molotov cocktails, and acid. However, many demonstrators insist the protests have been largely peaceful and are not just about Imamoglu's arrest, but broader concerns over Turkey's democratic decline. Students have been at the forefront, chanting slogans against government repression, while voters in a symbolic CHP election overwhelmingly backed Imamoglu from his prison cell.
Erdogan has dismissed the protests as an attempt to create chaos, insisting that Turkey’s judiciary is independent and that the opposition has failed to answer corruption allegations. Meanwhile, international concern is growing, with the European Commission urging Turkey to "uphold democratic values." Despite the heavy police response, many demonstrators remain defiant, believing that this moment represents a turning point in the fight for democracy.
