Anti-government demonstrations were held for a fifth night in a row in Turkey on Sunday, March 23rd following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is considered to be the opposition’s main candidate at the presidential elections in 2028.
Despite a ban on street gatherings in many cities, protesters took to the streets in support of İmamoğlu, in what is being described as the largest anti-government demonstrations in Turkey for over a decade.
People hold flags and chant as they protest against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
— Getty Images News (@GettyImagesNews) March 22, 2025
Imamoglu was among 100 people arrested on an array of charges. Critics called the arrests politically motivated.#GettyNewsVideoSerdar Ozsoy
https://t.co/SJLuQKtaOR pic.twitter.com/AMVLlsnVy5
In some cities, fierce clashes broke out between protesters and riot police. The interior ministry said on Monday that a total of 1,133 people have been detained.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said they would continue the protests until İmamoğlu is released. They called his arrest politicised and undemocratic.
“This is not only about the CHP, but about everyone. The question is whether Turkey will live under an authoritarian regime or be a democratic country,” said İlhan Uzgel, who handles the party’s external relations.
54-year-old İmamoğlu spent his first night in jail on Monday. In a post on his X account, he said the court case against him “is far from fair—it is an execution without trial. I invite our nation to fight for their rights. This fight is crucial for the future of our nation and our children.”
Today, Türkiye woke up to a profound betrayal.
— Ekrem İmamoğlu (International) (@imamoglu_int) March 23, 2025
The ongoing judicial process is far from being fair – it is an execution without trial.
I invite our nation to fight for their rights. This fight is crucial for the future of our nation and our children.
For the future of…
İmamoğlu was arrested last Wednesday on charges of corruption and links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its allies. He has been interrogated, jailed, and stripped of his mayoralty as a result of the investigation. 100 others were also arrested, including journalists and business figures.
İmamoğlu’s arrest came just days before he was nominated as the main opposition candidate for Turkey’s 2028 presidential election.
İmamoğlu has been the Mayor of Istanbul since 2019 and was reelected last year with a 12-point advantage over the governing Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) candidate.
The local elections in 2024 were President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s first major defeat since becoming prime minister in 2003, and then head of state in 2014. Commentators have pointed to the poor economic performance, the weakening currency, and soaring inflation as the main reasons for the AKP’s troubles and the opposition’s success.
Erdoğan accused the CHP of trying to “provoke our nation.”
They have been doing everything they can for four days to disturb the peace of the nation and polarise our people. We will certainly not allow the CHP and its cronies to disrupt public order and disturb the peace of our people through provocations.
In theory, 71-year-old Erdoğan cannot run for another term as president in 2028, and İmamoğlu has been widely seen as the only politician who could defeat an AKP contender. His party, CHP, claims his arrest is an attempt by Erdoğan to suppress political opposition.
On Sunday, some 15 million people took part in a symbolic primary election organised by the CHP in support of İmamoğlu as the party’s presidential candidate.
A spokesman for the French foreign ministry said the jailing of Ekrem İmamoğlu “constitutes a serious attack on democracy.”
The European Commission urged Turkey to “uphold democratic values” as both a member of the Council of Europe and an EU candidate state.
