Tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul on Saturday to protest the imprisonment of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key political rival to President Tayyip Erdogan, marking the largest demonstrations in Türkiye in over a decade.
Since Imamoglu’s detention last week on corruption charges, mass protests have spread nationwide, with hundreds of thousands responding to opposition calls to take to the streets. While the demonstrations have remained largely peaceful, authorities have detained nearly 2,000 people.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP), along with other opposition groups, rights organizations, and Western governments, has condemned the case against Imamoglu as a politically motivated attempt to sideline a major challenger to Erdogan. The government, however, maintains that the judiciary operates independently and denies any political interference.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of demonstrators, waving Turkish flags and banners, filled the Maltepe rally grounds on Istanbul’s Asian side for a “Freedom for Imamoglu” gathering organized by the CHP.
“If justice remains silent, the people will speak,” read one banner raised by protesters.
“The economy is worsening, and so is the justice system. That’s why we are here—to demand our rights,” said a CHP supporter at the rally.
Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election endorsing Imamoglu as its candidate for the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028. However, the party is pushing for an early election, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that since the protests began, around 1,900 people had been detained, with 260 placed in pre-trial detention as of Thursday.
Erdogan, who has dominated Türkiye’s political landscape for over two decades, has dismissed the demonstrations as mere theatrics, warned of legal repercussions, and accused the CHP of inciting unrest.
Imamoglu’s detention has also shaken Türkiye’s financial markets, leading the central bank to intervene to stabilize the lira. The uncertainty has rattled the private sector, though the government insists the economic impact will be minimal and temporary. The central bank has stated that the economy’s core fundamentals remain intact but is prepared to take further action if necessary.
