Mass Arrests in Turkey as Protests Erupt Over Mayor’s Detention

Turkish authorities have detained 1,113 people across the country following five days of widespread protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as per Al Jazeera.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the figures on Monday, confirming the largest wave of anti-government demonstrations in Turkey in over a decade.

The protests erupted after Imamoglu, widely seen as a potential challenger to Erdogan’s long-standing political dominance, was arrested on Wednesday. He faces charges of corruption, aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and leading a criminal organisation.

President Erdogan, speaking in Ankara, condemned the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for allegedly instigating the unrest. He accused them of orchestrating a “movement of violence,” claiming their “show” would ultimately fail and they would be ashamed of the “evil” inflicted on the country.

While the Turkish government maintains that Imamoglu’s arrest is not politically motivated and that the nation’s courts are independent, critics argue the move is a clear attempt to silence a powerful political opponent.

On Sunday, Imamoglu, 53, was stripped of his mayoral title and jailed in Silivri Prison on the outskirts of Istanbul, pending trial on the corruption charges he vehemently denies. A separate “terrorism” charge was reportedly dismissed for the time being. Despite his detention, Imamoglu was overwhelmingly elected as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election on the same day, garnering an estimated 15 million votes in a powerful display of support.

The demonstrations, which began in Istanbul, have now spread to over 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces. Protesters have clashed with riot police, who have deployed tear gas and water cannon in attempts to quell the unrest. Despite bans on street gatherings in numerous cities, the anti-government demonstrations continued for a fifth consecutive night on Sunday, marked by fierce clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

Adding to concerns about freedom of the press, police detained 10 Turkish journalists at their homes before dawn on Monday, according to the Media and Law Studies Association rights group.

Minister Yerlikaya stated that 123 police officers had been injured during the protests and vowed that the government would not allow the “terrorising of the streets.”