Mass protests in Istambul on Sunday.
Credit: CHP Facebook.
Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Turkey in an outbreak of unrest not seen in over a decade, following the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul, and one of the biggest rivals to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Imamoglu, who was on the cusp of being named the Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential nominee for the 2028 elections, was arrested and charged with corruption on Sunday, March 22, resulting in a wave of indignation and nationwide demonstrations.
The charges, which include establishing a criminal organisation, bribery, and extortion, have been denounced by Imamoglu as politically motivated. ‘I will never bow,’ he defiantly declared on X just before being hauled off to a prison in Silivri.
The unrest escalated on Sunday night, with riot police firing tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and pepper spray against crowds gathered near Istanbul’s city hall. Protesters waved Turkish flags and rallied defiantly, making this the fifth consecutive night of protests. Marches spread to at least 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, according to local news sources, making this the largest political turmoil since the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Imamoglu’s wife, Dilek Kaya Imamoglu, addressed the masses gathered in Istanbul, calling the detention of her husband an ‘injustice that resonates with the nation’s conscience.’
Turkish president accuses opposition of provoking chaos
President Erdogan, in power for 22 years, condemned the protests, accusing the CHP of stoking violence. Yet, Imamoglu’s supporters see his detention as an attempt to silence a serious challenger to the presidency. Despite his arrest, nearly 15 million people reportedly voted in the CHP’s candidate selection on Sunday, with 1.6 million votes from party members and the rest from non-members showing support.
Imamoglu’s detention is part of a broader crackdown that has recently seen over 100 arrests, including politicians and journalists. Suspended from his mayoral post, he now faces further obstacles, such as Istanbul University revoking his degree over alleged irregularities, a move that would disqualify him from running for president under Turkey’s constitution. His lawyers now plan to appeal to the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
Meanwhile, X has reported that Turkey’s government ordered the blocking of over 700 accounts, a move the social media platform stated was ‘not only unlawful, but it hinders millions of Turkish users from news and political discourse in their country.’
