People In Turkey Are Holding Huge Protests Against The Government Arresting The Main Opposition Leader
54-year-old Ekrem İmamoğlu has been considered the leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled for 22 years.
Thousands of people in Turkey are protesting after Turkish authorities arrested Istanbul’s mayor and main opposition candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu.
54-year-old İmamoğlu has been considered the leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled for 22 years and has been accused of authoritarianism.
İmamoğlu’s Republican People's Party (CHP) was set to select him as a presidential candidate in the upcoming days.
On Wednesday, March 18, police arrested İmamoğlu over “corruption and aiding a terrorist group”, detaining another 100 people as part of the investigation.
The arrest is part of months-long crackdown on opposition leaders across Turkey, according to Reuters.
“We are facing an attempted coup against our next president,” the chairman of the CHP said.
The government has denied the arrests are politically motivated.
Authorities then imposed a four-day ban on public gatherings and blocked access to several social media platforms, but thousands of people still took to the streets in protest.
People gathered at university campuses and underground stations, chanting anti-government slogans against Erdoğan, calling him a dictator.
Video footage showed police officers throwing pepper spray and clashing with protesters.
Authorities arrested 37 people for posting "provocative social media posts inciting crime and hatred", according to Reuters.
“The will of the people cannot be silenced through intimidation or unlawful acts,” İmamoğlu said on X.
In a separate move, Istanbul University invalidated İmamoğlu’s diploma due to alleged irregularities on Tuesday.
If the university’s decision stands, İmamoğlu won’t be able to run for president since a university diploma is a prerequisite for seeking election.
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