Turkey has been in turmoil for several days, with protests continuing in Istanbul for three consecutive nights against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The opposition claims that nearly three lakh people attended the rally last Friday. On Saturday, Imamoglu, who is accused of corruption and terrorism in addition to contacts with Kurdish militants, was brought to court. After five hours of interrogation, he was transferred to a city court for further questioning. Early Sunday, Turkish prosecutors requested prison sentences for Imamoglu and four associates on these charges. Imamoglu was detained last Wednesday along with two district mayors and dozens of other prominent figures.
The largest anti-government movement in Turkey since 2013?
The way people have taken to the streets to protest the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu has been called by many as the largest anti-government movement since 2013. At least 8 people were killed during the movement that year. This time, thousands of people are continuing the movement despite the ban imposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The movement has also demanded Erdogan's resignation. The administration has closed several important roads in Istanbul to suppress the protests. In addition, a five-day ban on all types of gatherings has been imposed in the cities where the protests have spread. The administration has also closed a metro station near Ankara University due to the violence that occurred on Thursday. There have been no such large-scale protests on the streets of Turkey in the past decade. Main opposition leader Ozgur Ozil said that this was not an opposition rally, people from all parties gathered, expressing solidarity with Imamoglu. They are all in favor of democracy. Police also fired water cannon and tear gas at protesters in Ankara and the western coastal city of Izmir. The protests have spread to more than 55 of Turkey's 81 provinces since Wednesday.
Who is Ekrem Imamoglu? Why the protests?
Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People's Party has long been seen as a potential challenger to Turkey's conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is seen as Erdogan's main rival in the upcoming presidential election in 2028. Ekrem Imamoglu was elected mayor of Istanbul for a second term last year. His CHP party won Istanbul and Ankara in those local elections. It was the first time since Erdogan came to power that his party had lost at the ballot box nationwide. It was also a blow to Erdogan personally. He was also the mayor of Istanbul on his way to power. Erdogan has been at the top of Turkey's power for 22 years. He has served as both prime minister and president. Due to term limits, he will not be able to run in the 2028 election unless the constitution is changed. Imamoglu is expected to be nominated as the CHP's official presidential candidate for the next election in a few days. Meanwhile, the arrest is not being taken well by the opposition political circles.
What did the Turkish government say?
The opposition is playing a drama, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says. They are disturbing public peace, trying to polarize the nation. He alleges, "They have become so unbalanced that they have reached a situation where they are attacking the police and threatening judges and lawyers." Although protesters have called for a nationwide movement demanding Imamoglu's release, Erdogan has warned that terrorism on the streets will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
