ISTANBUL: Over 340 Arrested Amid Major Protests in Turkey Following Mayor’s Detention
Turkey witnessed its largest street protests in over a decade after the arrest of Istanbul’s prominent opposition mayor. The demonstrations erupted late Friday, drawing hundreds of thousands to the streets across the nation, leading to clashes with police in major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that 343 people were arrested during the protests that took place in cities such as Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya, and Edirne. He emphasized that any attempts to create "chaos and provocation" would be met with strong opposition.
This marked the third consecutive night of protests supporting Ekrem Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political opponent, who was detained earlier in the week. Imamoglu’s arrest ignited widespread demonstrations, spreading to over 50 provinces across Turkey.
Scuffles broke out as protesters clashed with riot police, who deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons in an effort to disperse the crowd in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Imamoglu, who had been in custody for three nights, began speaking to police on Saturday as part of an ongoing investigation linked to "terror" charges, according to party insiders.
He was scheduled to face prosecutors later in the day regarding allegations of corruption and ties to a banned terrorist organization. Imamoglu is accused, alongside six others, of providing aid to the Kurdish militant group PKK. He is also under multiple investigations for offenses including bribery, extortion, and fraud, along with 99 other individuals.
His legal team stated that he was interrogated for six hours on Friday about the graft accusations, and his lawyer insisted that Imamoglu denies all charges, suggesting that the detention is aimed at tarnishing his public image and violating his right to a fair trial.
Demonstrations were set to resume on Saturday night, with Imamoglu expressing his pride in the protesters defending democracy and the future of Turkey through a message sent via his legal representatives.
Ozgur Ozel, leading the main opposition CHP, spoke to crowds outside Istanbul’s City Hall, estimating that around 300,000 people participated in the protest despite a ban and stern warnings from President Erdogan against “street terror.” Erdogan criticized Ozel and made it clear that those instigating conflict with security forces would be treated as criminals.
Governor Davut Gul echoed this sentiment, threatening legal action against those responsible for the unrest. The political turmoil has impacted Turkey’s financial markets, with the BIST 100 index suffering nearly an eight percent drop on Friday as concerns heightened following Imamoglu’s detention.
