Istanbul, MINA – Hundreds of people have been reported arrested across various regions in Turkey during massive protests against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, a leading challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on charges of corruption and alleged links to terrorism activities.
The incident sparked waves of demonstrations in Istanbul and other major cities, with his supporters viewing the detention as a political move aimed at silencing opposition. Al Jazeera reported on the developments.
Ekrem Imamoglu, from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has become a prominent opposition figure since his victory in the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election. His victory was seen as a major blow to Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which had dominated Istanbul’s politics for over two decades.
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The charges of corruption and alleged terrorist links against Imamoglu relate to accusations of misusing public funds during his tenure.
However, Imamoglu’s supporters have strongly denied the charges, describing them as politically motivated criminalization aimed at obstructing his bid in the upcoming presidential election.
Protests erupted immediately after the news of Imamoglu’s detention spread. Thousands of his supporters took to the streets in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, holding banners reading “Justice for Imamoglu” and chanting slogans against the government. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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