Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Istanbul and across Turkey to condemn the imprisonment of former mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The protests come after Imamoglu was detained on corruption charges, with the terrorism charge later dismissed by a court.
Imamoglu, considered a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has become a rallying figure for protesters who feel the move against him was politically motivated. The government insists that the judiciary is independent and free of political interference.
Protesters in Istanbul gathered on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands taking part, holding signs and chanting slogans against Imamoglu’s imprisonment. Al Jazeera quotes one protester as saying, “We must speak out against injustice and unlawfulness.” Another protester stated, “A state is strong only when it’s fair, but I am not hopeful. The judiciary is not independent.”
The protests have sparked widespread concern, with nearly 1,900 people detained since Imamoglu’s arrest on March 19. Pro-government media reported that public prosecutors had requested up to three years imprisonment for 74 of the detainees.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called for the immediate release of Imamoglu, as well as other political prisoners, including Selahattin Demirtas, a former presidential candidate. The CHP plans to begin collecting signatures for Imamoglu’s release and demand an early election.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/29/huge-istanbul-protests-over-imamoglus-arrest-and-imprisonment-in-turkiye