Why are there protests in Turkiye? What to know

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested in Turkiye’s cities against the arrest of a prominent opposition politician.

Citizens defied the prohibition on gathering and took to the streets, with opposition politician’s supporters calling the allegations politicized. The largest protests in more than a decade have occurred in Turkiye.

What facts about the ongoing protests and Turkiye events are essential.

Why is Turkiye the site of protests?

Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s mayor and potential opposition candidate, was arrested, and people took to the streets.

His supporters claim that the accusations are politically motivated and intended to prevent him from running for president in three years.

However, some protesters claim that this is more significant than Imamoglu and that it represents wider issues, including those relating to democracy, the economy, education, and healthcare systems.

What year did the protests begin?

Imamoglu was detained on the day of the protests, when thousands of people gathered at Istanbul University to protest the arrest.

The largest protest to date occurred on Saturday night, and they have continued ever since.

What happened to Ekrem Imamoglu and who is he?

He is the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for mayor of Istanbul in the upcoming presidential election.

The 53-year-old took office in 2019 and was re-elected in 2024.

On suspicion of corruption and allegedly aiding an outlawed political party, Imamoglu and more than 100 others were detained by Turkish police on March 19.

He would not be eligible to run for president if his degree was suspended a day prior. He earned master’s degrees in human resource management and business administration.

After he left a private university in northern Cyprus, the university claimed there were irregularities in his diploma.

The CHP’s election candidate for president in 2028 was set to be chosen just days before the announcement.

What is the charge against him?

Initial offenses against Imamoglu included “terrorism,” bribery, and corruption.

According to Anadolu Agency (AA), the Turkish newswire reported that Imamoglu was the head of a criminal organization that engaged in systematic fraud, bid-rigging, embezzlement, and bribery.

Additionally, Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union allege that he assists the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Before Turkiye’s March 2024 local elections, Imamoglu allegedly participated in an “urban consensus” initiative supported by the People’s Democratic Congress [HDK], a pro-terrorist PKK organization.

The “urban consensus” was a campaign to increase Kurdish actors’ influence in municipal politics, the media reported.

Imamoglu was ordered to be imprisoned without bail until the corruption charges are settled on Sunday.

However, the “terrorism” charges were dropped. The charge of corruption was dropped by a Turkish court, which stated that, “As it stands, (his arrest) is not deemed necessary at this time, given that there is a strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organization.”

According to Sinem Koseoglu, the court won’t be able to appoint a government trustee for Istanbul because Imamoglu was not accused of “terror” charges, adding that the mayor will be chosen from the municipal council.

What has he to date on these allegations?

Imamoglu refuted the accusations.

Imamoglu’s defense on Saturday during a hearing revealed that he and his colleagues are facing “unimaginable accusations and slanders,” according to a document obtained by the Reuters news agency.

I firmly refute all assertions.

He thanked international actors for their support of him and the protesters who have taken to the streets by posting a message on his page on X, a former Twitter account.

The mother’s heart reveals the most profound truth.

We must persevere for all the Turkish mothers and their children’s futures. pic. twitter.com/lto9h8TCcd

What was said by President Erdogan?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkiye, made a public statement on Friday stating that the justice system should be free to do its job.

He called the protests “street terror,” calling them “street terror,” and reiterating his position. “We will not tolerate the disruption of public order.

It is grave irresponsibility to “point to the streets” to defend theft, plunder, lawlessness, and fraud, according to Erdogan.

We will not bow down to vandalism in the future, just as we haven’t done so with street terrorism so far.

CHP’ye çökmüş bir avuç paragözün asrli parma’nda oynatmas, Gazi ‘nin emaneti “diyerek CHP’ye oy veren insanlarmz da üzüyor” is “diyerek CHP’ye oy veren insanlarmzş bir

Emin olun, the CHP’s vatandaşlarmüş da SK skandalaş 32 yl sonra rezilliklere tekrar şahit olmayişlerine sindiremiyor, is. pic. https://twitter.com/14D4UVCWoOe

Translation: Our electorates who voted for the CHP are upset that a few greedy individuals have become so adept at manipulating the century-old party. They claim that this is “the legacy of the Ghazi”.

As promised, our sincere CHP supporters cannot tolerate another 32 years of the SK scandal.

How many protests are there?

Istanbul’s streets have seen at least tens of thousands of people.

More than 300,000 people have gathered in various locations across the country’s largest city, according to opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, who claims they are a result of the road and bridge closures, which prevent people from all being in one place.

Since the 2013 demonstrations in Gezi Park, these are Istanbul’s largest anti-government protests.

Turkish police responded with pepper spray after protesters threw stones and flares at them. Protesters were confronted with tear gas and water cannons by police in Turkiye’s capital, Ankara.

After Saturday night’s protests, Turkiye’s interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, reported that 323 people had been detained.

He declared, “There will be no tolerance for those who seek to disrupt societal order, threaten the people’s peace and security, and engage in chaos and provocation.”

The presidential election is when?

2028 will be the next election that is scheduled.

Source: Aljazeera