53 Detained in Turkey as Protests Persist over Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest

March 21, 2025 TruthUSA

On Wednesday, Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on corruption charges.

The Turkish government has detained 53 people amid its crackdown on protests following the arrest of a top rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that 16 police officers were injured in protests that erupted on university campuses, Istanbul municipal headquarters, and other locations on Thursday.

The authorities in Ankara also cautioned against unauthorized calls from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for additional street protests in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, after numerous demonstrations across Turkey in the past two days.

Imamoglu, Erdogan’s primary rival, was taken into custody on Wednesday and is facing charges of abusing his position for personal financial gain, improper allocation of government contracts, and supporting a banned terrorist group.

The CHP denounced the arrest and charges against the mayor as politically motivated and urged people to protest lawfully.

European leaders criticized the detention as a setback for democracy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over Imamoglu’s arrest, calling it a negative sign for Turkey’s relations with the European Union.

Scholz stated that it was detrimental to democracy in Turkey and the EU-Turkey relationship.

He urged for an immediate end to the situation and emphasized the importance of fair competition between the opposition and government, rather than using the judiciary against the opposition.

Yerlikaya and Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc criticized CHP leader Ozgur Ozel’s calls for action as “irresponsible” during the ban on public gatherings they had imposed.

Tunc stressed the importance of the right to assembly and demonstration while maintaining that public calls for protests based on ongoing legal investigations were unlawful and should be rejected.

He urged for calm and highlighted that the judiciary was impartial and evaluating the case.

Tunc also cautioned against linking Erdogan to Imamoglu’s arrest, stating that it was inappropriate to connect judicial investigations with the president, according to Türkiye Today.

Demonstrations took place nationwide on Thursday, with police blocking main streets, using pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse protests in cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, and Izmir.

Erdogan dismissed the CHP’s criticism as theatrics, while opposition figures like Ozel and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas called for unity against injustices and unfair treatment.

This recent crackdown on opposition figures, leading up to Imamoglu’s detention, has been criticized as an attempt to hinder political opponents and silence dissent.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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