Turkey Sees Largest Protests in Decade After Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest

Mass protests have erupted across Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, with demonstrations continuing for a fifth consecutive day. The scale of the protests makes them the largest the country has seen in the past decade, Reuters reports.

Tensions escalated after a court ordered İmamoğlu’s arrest on March 23. Authorities removed him from office and extended a temporary ban on public gatherings until March 26.

Despite the restrictions, protests have continued in major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Police responded with force, using batons and tear gas to disperse crowds.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) argues that İmamoğlu, who received nearly 15 mln votes in the primaries, remains a key political figure and a potential challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming elections.

CHP leader Özgür Özel has called for an early presidential election.

Kursiv Uzbekistan previously reported that İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 on charges of corruption in state procurement and alleged links to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).