Massive protests have erupted across Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, marking the most violent civil unrest in the country in the past ten years.
For five consecutive nights, tens of thousands have taken to the streets, with Sunday’s demonstrations drawing especially large and emotional crowds.
Imamoglu’s Arrest Triggers Nationwide Outcry
Imamoglu, widely seen as the main political challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 elections, was arrested last Wednesday on charges of corruption. He has denied all accusations, calling them politically motivated.
His arrest came just days before he was expected to be officially nominated as the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate.
As reported by HotNews.ro, the protests reached a boiling point Sunday night in Istanbul, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators gathered near city hall.
Dilek Kaya Imamoglu, the mayor’s wife, addressed the crowd, stating that the “injustice” her husband faced had “struck a chord in every conscience.”
Largest Protests Since Gezi Park
The demonstrations, which have now spread to at least 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, echo the nationwide protests of 2013 sparked by the Gezi Park controversy. Protesters are waving Turkish flags and chanting slogans in defiance of riot police.
President Erdogan has condemned the protests, accusing the CHP of inciting unrest and seeking to “polarize our people.”
With tensions rising, the country faces a potential inflection point as civil society challenges the government's increasingly aggressive stance against political opposition.
The protests underscore a broader dissatisfaction with Turkey’s democratic trajectory and the shrinking space for dissent.
