Turkey’s opposition has called on supporters to rally outside the parliament in Ankara on Wednesday, April 23rd, in defiance of an official ban on gatherings on a symbolic day for the republic.
A month after the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu—President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s biggest political rival—the head of the main opposition CHP party said he would speak outside parliament as the country marks National Sovereignty Day.
Özgür Özel—who was elected 18 months ago as head of CHP—reiterated a call to join the rally in a post on X late Tuesday despite a government ban on gatherings.
“I invite all people of Ankara, especially young people and students, and everyone who will be in Ankara tomorrow, to come to parliament at 5:00 p.m., Turkish flags in hand. Sovereignty belongs to the nation!” he wrote.
İmamoğlu, who is the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential race, also referenced the rally from his cell at Istanbul’s Silivri prison, where he has been held on corruption charges since March 23.
“I will watch this march for national sovereignty from prison. I will be at your side, marching with you,” İmamoğlu said on X.
The opposition leader’s arrest triggered a wave of protests in Turkey’s main cities.
