Thousands Demonstrate in Turkey for the Seventh Night in Support of the Arrest of the Mayor

In the midst of widespread arrests, thousands of demonstrators have marched in Istanbul for the seventh night, calling for justice for Mayor Imamoglu.

For the seventh night in a row, thousands of demonstrators occupied Turkey’s streets to call for justice for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose arrest on corruption charges has provoked outrage across the country.

Since the disturbances started last Wednesday, more than 1,400 protesters, including journalists, attorneys, and students, have been taken into custody.

The accusations against Imamoglu, who is generally considered to be President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political opponent, have been refuted and described as politically driven. Human rights organizations and the UN have reiterated his statements, denouncing the widespread arrests and the use of force by police against protesters.

With flags and banners in hand, thousands of university students gathered in Maçka Park on Tuesday night before marching toward Şişli and yelling, “Government, resign!” In response, the authorities in Istanbul closed highways and prohibited protests, stating that they needed to “maintain public order” and “prevent any provocative actions.” Riot police, who were widely dispersed throughout the city, kept a tight eye on the protesters, many of whom had their faces veiled for fear of being recognized and taken into custody.

At a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Ankara, President Erdogan spoke on the issue, urging demonstrators to exercise patience and to avoid causing “chaos.” He expressed his government’s will to put an end to the turmoil by warning that their protests were “a dead end.”

The Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s largest opposition party, has been instrumental in the protests and has vowed to keep up its struggle. Speaking to audiences on Tuesday, CHP leader Özgür Özel called for a sizable march in Istanbul on Saturday and urged people to oppose Imamoglu’s detention as well as the wider crackdown on opposition leaders.

“Are you prepared for Saturday’s massive rally in a sizable square in Istanbul?” Özel questioned the audience. “To stand with Imamoglu, to protest his detention, to protest the arrest of each of our mayors.” to declare that we have had enough and that we want early elections, and to demand open, transparent, and live-broadcast trials.

Since the protests started, 1,418 protestors have been arrested, and as of Tuesday, 979 of them were still being held, according to Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Yerlikaya promised that “no concessions will be made to those who attempt to terrorize the streets” or “attack our national and moral values” in a social media post, adding that 478 more demonstrators would be taken to court.

All eyes are now on Saturday’s scheduled mass rally, which might intensify the conflict between the Erdogan government and Turkey’s opposition as temperatures rise.