Protests erupt in Turkey after mayor's detention, over 1,100 detained
Over 1,100 people have been detained in Turkey following protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, the main political challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The street protests, the largest seen in the past decade, continued for a sixth consecutive night despite a ban imposed in several cities, Reuters reported.
Imamoglu, 54, was placed in preventive detention on Sunday, accused of corruption, which he denies. His arrest took place on the same day that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) held internal elections to select its candidate for the presidency.
On Monday, President Erdogan stated that the protests had devolved into a "violent movement" after a government meeting, and that opposition leaders would be held accountable both politically and legally. "The main opposition is responsible for our injured police officers, broken shop windows, and the destruction of public property," said the head of state.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 1,133 people were detained, and 123 police officers were injured during the five days of protests. The official accused some protesters of "terrorizing the streets" and posing a threat to national security.
Despite calls from the authorities for calm, CHP leader Ozgur Ozel urged citizens to continue peaceful protests. Speaking before hundreds of thousands of people gathered near the Sarachane City Hall, Ozel called for a boycott of media institutions, brands, and shops considered to be aligned with Erdogan, and reiterated that the charges against Imamoglu were "groundless and unproven."
"Anyone unjustly imprisoned by Erdogan is defended by this market, in the name of democracy and Turkey," Ozel said, also calling for the live broadcasting of Imamoglu’s trial on the public channel TRT.
Shortly after his speech, the authorities intervened forcefully in Istanbul, using rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse protesters, detaining several people. In Ankara, demonstrators tried to block the water cannon vehicles, demanding to be allowed to protest peacefully.
International Reactions:
Several human rights organizations and European officials condemned Imamoglu’s detention. Germany described the move as a blow to Turkey's European aspirations, and a session of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee was canceled on Monday, citing the "unfavorable context."
Additionally, the CHP leadership announced that it would contest in court the annulment of Imamoglu's university degree – a document required for him to run for president.
Political tensions were also reflected in the financial markets. The Istanbul stock exchange experienced its largest drop since the global financial crisis of 2008, and the central bank had to intervene to stabilize the currency.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
