Massive Demonstrations Across Türkiye in Support of Imprisoned Mayor
The rallies have persisted for a fourth consecutive night in Istanbul and other major Turkish cities. On Saturday, large crowds of protesters assembled across various cities in Turkey, demanding the release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu,...
TroibNews 
The rallies have persisted for a fourth consecutive night in Istanbul and other major Turkish cities.
On Saturday, large crowds of protesters assembled across various cities in Turkey, demanding the release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested on allegations of corruption and terrorism. Imamoglu, who ran for vice president in 2023, was taken into custody on Wednesday.
A prominent figure within the opposition Republican People’s Party, Imamoglu is widely regarded as a significant challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The demonstrations unfolded in Ankara, the capital, and Istanbul, the nation’s largest city.
For the fourth night, tens of thousands filled the streets in Istanbul to protest Imamoglu’s arrest. A verdict is anticipated soon pic. twitter. com/We06kYMSoF — Gönül Tol March 22, 2025
Protests erupted in Ankara against President Erdogan. pic. twitter. com/E2c7lisp2I — Open Source Intel March 22, 2025
Police employed water cannons to disperse students protesting at Middle East Technical University in Ankara.
ODTÜ'de polis ekipleri, direnen öğrencilere TOMA'yla şiddetli bir şekilde müdahale ediyor. pic. twitter. com/LSPPbKvSRz — Solcu Gazete March 21, 2025
Clashes erupted between police and protesters on previous nights, with officers using water cannons and tear gas. Some demonstrators pushed down security barriers and threw objects at police vehicles.
Protesters in Ankara, mainly students, are pushing back against the police and their water cannons. pic. twitter. com/pahzX0K1uB — kakasloi March 21, 2025
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that a total of 343 individuals were arrested Saturday across Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya, and Edirne.
According to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul, Imamoglu was detained as part of an investigation revolving around corruption, bribery, and fraud, along with allegations of being linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey.
Reports indicate that Imamoglu’s arrest occurred just days before he was expected to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. He claimed that the prosecution is politically motivated, stating, “This immoral and tyrannical approach will undoubtedly be overturned by the will and resilience of our people,” as quoted by the New York Times.
In a statement on Friday, Erdogan condemned the protests, asserting that authorities would not allow “street terror and vandalism” to disrupt the country. He urged Ozgur Ozel, the head of the CHP, to act responsibly and refrain from “provoking youngsters.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
On Saturday, large crowds of protesters assembled across various cities in Turkey, demanding the release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested on allegations of corruption and terrorism. Imamoglu, who ran for vice president in 2023, was taken into custody on Wednesday.
A prominent figure within the opposition Republican People’s Party, Imamoglu is widely regarded as a significant challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The demonstrations unfolded in Ankara, the capital, and Istanbul, the nation’s largest city.
For the fourth night, tens of thousands filled the streets in Istanbul to protest Imamoglu’s arrest. A verdict is anticipated soon pic. twitter. com/We06kYMSoF — Gönül Tol March 22, 2025
Protests erupted in Ankara against President Erdogan. pic. twitter. com/E2c7lisp2I — Open Source Intel March 22, 2025
Police employed water cannons to disperse students protesting at Middle East Technical University in Ankara.
ODTÜ'de polis ekipleri, direnen öğrencilere TOMA'yla şiddetli bir şekilde müdahale ediyor. pic. twitter. com/LSPPbKvSRz — Solcu Gazete March 21, 2025
Clashes erupted between police and protesters on previous nights, with officers using water cannons and tear gas. Some demonstrators pushed down security barriers and threw objects at police vehicles.
Protesters in Ankara, mainly students, are pushing back against the police and their water cannons. pic. twitter. com/pahzX0K1uB — kakasloi March 21, 2025
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that a total of 343 individuals were arrested Saturday across Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya, and Edirne.
According to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul, Imamoglu was detained as part of an investigation revolving around corruption, bribery, and fraud, along with allegations of being linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey.
Reports indicate that Imamoglu’s arrest occurred just days before he was expected to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. He claimed that the prosecution is politically motivated, stating, “This immoral and tyrannical approach will undoubtedly be overturned by the will and resilience of our people,” as quoted by the New York Times.
In a statement on Friday, Erdogan condemned the protests, asserting that authorities would not allow “street terror and vandalism” to disrupt the country. He urged Ozgur Ozel, the head of the CHP, to act responsibly and refrain from “provoking youngsters.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
