More than 1,100 people have been detained across Turkey, including journalists, following the arrest of Erdogan's main political rival, Ekrem Imamoglu, sparking widespread protests and clashes with police.
In the wake of the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the leading political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has witnessed some of its most intense unrest in years. Over 1,100 people, including journalists, have been detained since the protests began, according to official sources on Monday.
The demonstrations, which started in Istanbul following Imamoglu's arrest last week, have spread to more than 55 of Turkey's 81 provinces. Clashes between protestors and riot police have escalated, drawing international criticism.
Imamoglu, a popular 53-year-old politician widely regarded as the only candidate capable of defeating Erdogan in an election, was arrested and charged as part of a graft and terrorism investigation. Once the mayor of Istanbul—a position that marked the beginning of Erdogan’s own political career—Imamoglu has been stripped of his role and incarcerated within days of his arrest.
On Sunday, Imamoglu was overwhelmingly chosen as the presidential candidate for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for the 2028 election. Despite his arrest, the party primary saw massive participation, with 15 million votes cast, far exceeding the party’s 1.7 million members. A CHP spokesperson confirmed Imamoglu's candidacy on Monday.
Many observers believe that the looming primary election played a significant role in the government’s decision to arrest Imamoglu. He has been seen as the most formidable political threat to Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades.
His arrest was met with sharp criticism, particularly from Germany, which condemned the move as “totally unacceptable.”
The unrest has intensified following his detention, with police detaining 10 Turkish journalists early Monday, including an AFP photographer. These journalists were reportedly arrested for covering the protests, according to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), a rights group. Most of the journalists had been documenting large protests outside City Hall, where tens of thousands of people gathered on Sunday in a show of support for Imamoglu.
Dilek Kaya Imamoglu, the wife of the jailed politician, took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the treatment of journalists, emphasizing the importance of press freedom. "What is being done to members of the press is an attack on freedom. We cannot stay silent," she wrote.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, more than 1,133 people have been detained across the country since the protests began. As of Sunday night, Istanbul and other cities saw violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police, with reports of officers kicking and beating protesters, according to AFP correspondents.
In the western city of Izmir, police also arrested two local lawyers representing protesters, including the former head of the city’s Bar Association.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul accused the protestors of "damaging mosques and cemeteries" and warned that any further attempts to disturb public order would not be tolerated.
From Silivri prison, located on the outskirts of Istanbul, Imamoglu called the charges against him a "political execution without trial" and remained defiant. In a message passed through his lawyers, he stated, "I wear a white shirt that you cannot stain. I have a strong arm that you cannot twist. I won’t budge an inch. I will win this war."
Sunday’s protests also coincided with millions of voters participating in the CHP’s symbolic primary, which essentially turned into a referendum on the government’s actions. Of the 15 million votes cast, 13.2 million were solidarity ballots from non-party members, according to City Hall.
As protests escalated, Turkish authorities attempted to shut down more than 700 social media accounts, according to a statement released by X's communications team on Sunday. "We object to multiple court orders from the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority to block over 700 accounts of news organizations, journalists, political figures, students, and others within Turkey," the platform said.
Turkey's political landscape remains deeply divided as the country braces for more protests in the coming days.
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