Turkey’s Protests Increase After the Mayor of Istanbul Is Arrested

Turkey has seen its biggest protests in years as protests have persisted for a fourth night following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu.

After Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, was arrested, protests in Turkey have persisted for the fourth night in a row, reaching their worst level in well over a decade.

Imamoglu, a significant political opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on Wednesday, a few days before he was supposed to be announced as the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential contender for 2028. He has been accused by prosecutors of corruption and terrorism, which he disputes.

Erdogan criticized the CHP for trying to “disturb the peace and polarize our people” in response to the disturbances. Thousands have disobeyed the order, yelling “rights, law, justice,” in protest of what they perceive to be a politically motivated incarceration. Authorities have banned public meetings in key cities.

In Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, there have been reports of clashes between protestors and riot police, with security personnel dispersing crowds with pepper spray, water cannons, and tear gas. 343 protesters were arrested nationally on Friday alone.

Many demonstrators have voiced worries about the future of democracy in Turkey. “I’m here for liberty and justice,” one woman told the BBC. Another, who went with her kid, age 11, commented, “Day by day, it’s becoming more difficult to live in Turkey. Here, there isn’t any true justice.

Istanbul University invalidated Imamoglu’s degree due to purported errors, endangering his political future as well. If the judgment is confirmed, it might bar him from running for president because Turkey’s constitution stipulates that candidates must have completed higher education.

Erdogan is not permitted to run for reelection in 2028 unless constitutional amendments permit him to continue both as president and prime minister, a position he has held for 22 years. Although Turkey’s justice ministry maintains the judiciary’s independence, opposition figures say Imamoglu’s detention is a part of a larger attempt to crush political rivals.