Turkish authorities have detained nearly 1,500 people amid the country’s largest antigovernment protests in more than a decade, the country’s interior minister said on March 25.
The protests erupted on March 19 in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival who has been hit with corruption charges his supporters call politically motivated.
Turkish Interior Minister Alil Yerlikaya said in a March 25 post on X that 1,418 suspects had been detained so far in “illegal demonstrations,” nearly 1,000 of whom are in custody, and condemned those he said had “insulted” Erdogan’s family members.
Tear Gas And Rubber Bullets
While the most serious of clashes between protesters and police -- who have deployed tear gas and rubber bullets -- have unfolded around Sarachane Square near the city administration, demonstrations witnessed by RFE/RL in Kadikoy, the historic center of Istanbul’s Asian side, appeared peaceful.
RFE/RL spoke to several protesters in Kadikoy, where young men and women with tattoos marched alongside elderly protesters with canes and demonstrators held up portraits of Imamoglu.
One woman marching with a Turkish flag in her hand who gave only her first name, Merve, said the protest “is not just about Imamoglu's arrest.”
“For many years, this country has been abused, corruption has been high, and human rights have been violated. We are protesting against this," Merve, 44, told RFE/RL.
Imamoglu, 54, was detained at his home early on March 19 along with dozens of others amid a corruption investigation. On March 23, he was selected in a vote as the opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) candidate for Turkey’s next scheduled presidential election in 2028.
The protests against his arrest have continued in numerous cities across Turkey over the past week despite a ban by authorities.
Yerlikaya has accused protesters of "terrorizing" the streets.
During demonstrations in Kadikoy on March 23, the atmosphere was less ominous than Yerlikaya’s characterization, with small business owners stepping outside to greet passing protesters. One souvenir shop owner has placed Imamoglu’s photo in front of the store.
'I Want Democracy'
Murat, a 20-year-old university student who gave only his first name due to security concerns, noted that Erdogan, who came to power in 2003, is the only Turkish leader he has lived under.
“Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades. I don’t want that anymore; I want democracy in my country,” Murat said.
Erdogan said on March 24 that the protests over the jailing of Imamoglu, who was elected Istanbul’s mayor in 2019, had become a "movement of violence" and that authorities would hold the CHP accountable for property damage and injuries suffered by police.
CHP flags were everywhere in Kadikoy, where a large large fabric portrait of Imamoglu had been hung in the central square.
The trendy neighborhood is popular among secular residents who frequent the bars and cafes there. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, however, enjoys strong backing from more religious segments of Turkish society.
Mahmut, a taxi driver in Kadikoy who supports Erdogan, told RFE/RL that believes the opposition cannot be trusted.
“They are corrupt. All they know how to do is give nice speeches and deceive people. We shouldn’t defend them,” he said.
The ongoing antigovernment protests are the largest since 2013, when demonstrations initially against plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul transformed into widespread protests.
Those protests triggered a harsh crackdown by authorities in which rights watchdogs say 11 people were killed and more than 8,000 injured.
As evening approached in Kadikoy on March 23, the sound of residents banging on pots from their balconies in support of Istanbul’s jailed mayor rang through the air.
