Mass protests in Turkey: hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets over the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu

Protests in Turkey. Photo: Huseyin Aldemir/AP

The largest protests in the last decade continue in Turkey. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Istanbul after the arrest of the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, one of the main opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The demonstration, organised by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was held under the slogan “Free Imamoglu!”. The demonstration was peaceful, although the police introduced strict security measures.

At the rally, Imamoglu’s address from prison was read out, in which he expressed confidence in the victory over repression. “I have no fear because you are standing next to me. The people are united against tyranny,” he said in his letter.

Imamoglu’s arrest caused a wave of outrage across the country. The opposition calls the case politically motivated and calls for early elections and a boycott of pro-government media and companies. The protests have been going on for more than a week, with nearly two thousand people detained, including 260 in custody.

President Erdogan’s reaction was harsh, calling the protests a “provocation” and threatening the participants with legal consequences. Meanwhile, the arrest of Imamoglu affected the economic situation in the country – financial assets plummeted and the central bank was forced to intervene to stabilise the lira.

The opposition is mobilising supporters, and the CHP has officially nominated Imamoglu as a presidential candidate in the 2028 elections. At the same time, the party insists on the need for early voting, claiming that the current government has lost its legitimacy.

The protests may intensify in the coming days, and the reaction of the authorities will show how far they are willing to go in the fight against political opponents.