Public anger in Turkey has intensified following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, with protests erupting for the second consecutive night despite a four-day ban on demonstrations.
Imamoglu, a prominent member of Turkey’s main opposition party and a key political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was reportedly poised to be announced as a presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.
He was detained alongside 106 others on charges of corruption and alleged links to terrorist organisations.
Authorities have responded with sweeping arrests, targeting both demonstrators and online dissenters.
Since Wednesday, Turkish officials have carried out widespread raids, detaining dozens for allegedly “provoking violence” on social media.
President Erdogan, addressing the ongoing unrest, accused his political adversaries of engaging in theatrics.
“They have lost the balance so much that they are in a state to attack our police, hurl threats at judges, and prosecutors,” he remarked.
Also read: PKK declares ceasefire to end conflict with Turkey: Report
Meanwhile, CHP party leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking before a crowd of protesters outside Istanbul’s city hall, denounced the government’s actions as an attempted “coup” and asserted that citizens had the right to protest.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya disclosed on Thursday morning that security forces had identified 261 “suspect account managers” who had allegedly shared content deemed to incite public hatred and crime. “Thirty-seven suspects were caught, and efforts are continuing to catch the other suspects,” he stated.
He further noted that over 18.6 million social media posts had referenced the arrests by 0600 local time (0300 GMT) on Thursday.
A statement posted on Imamoglu’s X account urged citizens to “stand against this evil as a nation” and called on members of the judiciary and Erdogan’s party to oppose injustice. “These events have gone beyond our parties and political ideals. The process is now concerning our people, namely your families,” Imamoglu wrote. “It is time to raise our voices.”
Although Istanbul hosts more than 16 million residents, the scale of the protests remains relatively small and is unlikely to exert immediate political pressure on Erdogan to release Imamoglu.
The president, who has held power for 22 years in both prime ministerial and presidential capacities, is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election in 2028 unless amendments are made.
Follow us
