Turkish officials have reported that over 1,100 people, including journalists, have been detained during nationwide protests triggered by the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, a major opposition figure and the current mayor of Istanbul. This unrest, which is the most significant Turkey has experienced in years, began last week when Imamoglu who is widely seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strongest political challenger was arrested in a corruption and terrorism investigation, leading to his removal from office.
Protests broke out in Istanbul and quickly spread to 55 provinces, leading to clashes between demonstrators and riot police that caught the attention of the international community. Germany called Imamoglu’s arrest “unacceptable,” while the EU urged Turkey to respect democratic principles. France described the arrest as a “serious attack on democracy.”
Imamoglu, 53, was nominated in a landslide on Sunday as the presidential candidate for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for the 2028 elections, gathering 15 million votes in an important primary. Some political analysts say that his growing influence has led to a crackdown, especially as Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003, faces increasing political problems.
Students in Istanbul and Ankara have declared lecture boycotts, and protesters are gearing up for rallies, including one close to Istanbul’s City Hall. Imamoglu’s fall from mayor to detainee has encouraged opposition groups, and it shows the growing divide as elections approach. Meanwhile, authorities insist that the investigations are lawful as critics point to Erdogan for suppressing "dissent".