Protests in Türkiye: Mayor Imamoglu's Case Shakes National Politics

Le Protests continue to ignite Istanbul and other Turkish cities after the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul and main opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The official charge is corruption and terrorism for alleged links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organization by the Ankara government. However, Imamoglu's supporters and opposition forces denounce the arrest as a political move to eliminate him from the electoral race.

Clashes and tensions in major Turkish cities

Thousands of protesters gathered outside Istanbul City Hall, defying a protest ban imposed by authorities. The Clashes between protesters and police were particularly violent: Law enforcement used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 16 officers were injured in the clashes, while the Presidency of the Republic denied the use of rubber bullets.

Le Protests have also spread to other cities such as Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Mersin, Konya, Eskisehir and Antalya, involving thousands of citizens and students. In Besiktas, a central district of Istanbul, hundreds of students took to the streets for the second consecutive day, while in Ankara the main universities saw a large mobilization. The police responded with stops and arrests.

Political Reactions: A “Civil Coup” Against the Opposition

The Republican People's Party (CHP), of which Imamoglu is a leading figure, denounced the arrest as an attempt to eliminate Erdogan's main political opponent. Özgür Özel, chairman of the CHP, spoke of a “civilian coup” orchestrated by the government to stifle the opposition.In our history we have faced military coups against those in government. This is a civil coup against the opposition and those in government are carrying it out using all the means of the state.”, Özel said.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Istanbul twice, representing a possible candidate for Erdogan in the next presidential elections in 2028. According to many analysts, his popularity makes him the most fearsome candidate for the incumbent president, who has dominated Turkish politics for over twenty years.

Arrests and repression of protests

Il Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrest of 54 people accused of “inciting hatred and hostility” for sharing protest messages on social media. In total, authorities have identified 326 individuals, including 72 people who are currently abroad.

In the meantime, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said calls to demonstrate were “unacceptable and illegal,” signaling the government’s intention to crack down on any dissent.

An increasingly tense political scenario

Imamoglu's arrest and the violent reaction of security forces to the protests highlight the growing climate of political tension in TürkiyeOpposition groups fear that Erdogan is using the judicial system to eliminate his opponents and consolidate his power.

The international community is closely monitoring developments in the country, with many organizations denouncing the repression of freedom of expression and protest. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and what will be the response of the opposition and civil society in the coming days.