Massive Protests Erupt in Istanbul Following Detention of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu for the first time, tens of thousands of supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) gathered outside Istanbul’s city hall for a second consecutive night in protest. Imamoglu, who was taken into custody on Wednesday morning over allegations of terrorism and corruption, remained detained as of Thursday.
Opposition figures within Turkey and internationally have criticized the charges as politically motivated, targeting a key rival of Erdogan and potential presidential contender. However, Turkish officials have denied any political interference in the judiciary. In a televised speech from Ankara, Erdogan dismissed these accusations, stating that there was evidence of corruption and misconduct within the municipality. He asserted that opponents were not denying the claims because they were aware of their validity.
Details regarding the investigation remain limited due to a confidentiality order, but reports from Turkish media citing unnamed police sources suggested that Imamoglu had not yet been given an opportunity to provide his statement as of Thursday morning.
Despite a ban on demonstrations in Istanbul, large crowds continued to gather in the Sarachane district, near the city's hall, in support of the detained mayor. A brief clash occurred between protesters and police when some demonstrators attempted to march toward Istanbul’s central Taksim Square but were blocked by authorities. Additional peaceful protests were reported in several provinces, including Ankara and Izmir.
Turkish police detained 37 more individuals on Thursday over allegedly provocative social media posts related to the protests. This followed the previous day's arrests of more than 100 people, including Imamoglu and two CHP district mayors. CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, who spent Wednesday night at the city hall, called for continued demonstrations in solidarity with Imamoglu.
Opposition leaders from various political parties, including the pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy and Equality Party, Ahmet Davutoglu’s Gelecek (Future) Party, and the nationalist Iyi Party, convened at city hall earlier in the day to discuss the situation. Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, who was abroad at the time of Imamoglu’s detention, returned to Turkey and publicly endorsed Imamoglu’s presidential bid for the upcoming CHP primary. Yavas, himself considered a strong rival to Erdogan, had previously announced the suspension of his own presidential campaign in support of Imamoglu.
Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) rejected claims that the arrests were politically motivated. AKP spokesperson Omer Celik accused the CHP of using Imamoglu’s detention to attack Erdogan and the ruling party. Celik urged opposition leaders to address the corruption allegations instead of shifting the focus toward political persecution claims.
With tensions escalating, the situation in Istanbul remains volatile as opposition supporters continue to rally against what they view as an unjust crackdown on political dissent.
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