ISTANBUL (AP) — The head of Turkey’s main opposition party visited jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Tuesday following six nights of largescale protests demanding his release. Imamoglu, who was arrested on March 19 on corruption charges, is considered the leading challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s long-standing rule, which has lasted over two decades. His detention has been widely interpreted as politically motivated, triggering nationwide demonstrations, some of which became violent.
The government maintains that Turkey's judiciary operates independently and is not subjected to political pressures. On Tuesday morning, Ozgur Ozel, leader of Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), visited Silivri prison, located west of Istanbul. Ozel is anticipated to provide updates to the media regarding the mayor, who has now spent two nights in jail. Additionally, Ozel announced the final CHP rally outside Istanbul’s City Hall would be held Tuesday evening and said that the party would appoint a council member to temporarily fill in for Imamoglu, preventing a state-appointed official from taking over.
In parallel with these events, Turkish authorities have intensified their crackdown on journalists amidst the ongoing protests. The Media and Law Studies Association reported the detention of eight journalists covering the protests in Istanbul, which had been forbidden by authorities. These journalists face allegations of “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.” Media workers’ unions have criticized these arrests as an “attack on press freedom and the public’s right to know the truth.”
Demonstrations across Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and other cities have generally remained peaceful, with protesters calling for Imamoglu’s release and an end to perceived democratic decline. However, tensions escalated in some instances, leading to confrontations where police utilized water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray against activists. In response to the tumult, officials reported that 43 individuals deemed “provocateurs” were detained for allegedly targeting Erdogan and his family with insults during protests. Overall, approximately 1,133 protesters were detained from the prior Wednesday to Sunday.
Both Ozel and Imamoglu’s social media platforms condemned the insults directed at Erdogan’s mother. The charges against Imamoglu include running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data, and bid-rigging, all of which he has denied. Moreover, he faces additional prosecution on terror-related charges and has been suspended from his mayoral duties as a “temporary measure.”
As it stands, Imamoglu is one of 48 individuals currently in jail pending trial, which includes a key aide and two district mayors from Istanbul. Additionally, 44 other suspects related to the corruption allegations against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality have been released under judicial control. Although Turkey does not schedule its next elections until 2028, there is speculation that Erdogan may call for a snap election to extend his tenure. Imamoglu has already been confirmed as the CHP’s candidate and has shown favorable polling results against Erdogan. His election as mayor of Istanbul in March 2019 dealt a significant blow to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), which had maintained control of Istanbul for 25 years.
