Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Turkiye’s Istanbul have taken to the streets again, rallying against the government’s decision to imprison the city’s popular mayor.
The mass demonstration on Saturday was the latest in a wave of nationwide protests that have gripped parts of the country since the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19. The now ex-mayor, considered a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on corruption and terrorism charges. The terrorism charge was initially dismissed by the court.
A letter from Imamoglu was read out at the rally to loud cheers from the crowd. “I have no fear, you are behind me and by my side. I have no fear because the nation is united. The nation is united against the oppressor,” the letter said. “They can put me in jail and try me as much as they want, the nation has shown that it will crush all traps and plots”, it added.
The government rejects accusations from critics that the move against Imamoglu was politically motivated, insisting that the judiciary is independent and free of political interference.
This week, Erdogan denounced the rallies. “Those who spread terror in the streets and want to set fire to this country have nowhere to go. The path they have taken is a dead end,” he said.
Those demonstrating in Istanbul’s streets on Saturday had an opposing view: “We must speak out against injustice and unlawfulness. I am 25 and have only known one government – I want to see change,” a protester told Al Jazeera. “A state is strong only when it’s fair, but I am not hopeful. The judiciary is not independent,” said another one.
Imamoglu’s detention, and later formal arrest over the corruption charges on March 23, prompted nationwide protests despite assembly bans, police crackdowns, and legal prosecution by authorities.
“They’ve detained hundreds of our children, thousands of our youths … arrested hundreds of them,” said Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) that organised the protest. “They only had one goal in mind: to intimidate them, terrify them, make sure they never go out again.”
Nearly 1,900 people have been detained since March 19, and pro-government media reported Friday that public prosecutors had requested up to three years imprisonment for 74 of them.
“For many people here, this is not just about [Imamoglu] but about democracy, especially for students. Attending the rallies is a way for them to show resilience and protect their freedoms for their future,” said Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from the protest.
Police kept their distance at Saturday’s rally with no new arrests reported. Ozel called for the immediate release of Imamoglu, as well as for other political prisoners, including Selahattin Demirtas, a former presidential candidate and founder of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM.
“In Turkiye, we envision presidential candidates will not be imprisoned,” added Ozel.
Last Sunday, hours after he had been formally arrested, Imamoglu won a symbolic primary to be the CHP‘s candidate in a presidential election currently scheduled for 2028, but which is likely to take place earlier. Ozel noted they would begin collecting signatures for Imamoglu’s release and also to demand an early election.
Other speakers at Saturday’s rally included Dilek Imamoglu, the imprisoned mayor’s wife, as well as Ankara Mayor Masur Yavas, another high-profile CHP figure.
