Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that 343 people were detained at protests held yesterday in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya, and Edirne. The official accused the protest participants of "threatening peace and security" in the country and stated that they "will not be tolerated."
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç reminded that "freedom of assembly is a fundamental right," but emphasized that "calls for protests during an investigation are illegal and unacceptable."
President Recep Erdogan also reacted to the events, calling the protests "irresponsible." "Just as we have never yielded to terrorism, we will not succumb to vandalism," he stated.
The Mayor of Istanbul, considered the main rival of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 presidential elections, was detained on March 19. He is accused of corruption and ties with the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party. The opposition calls the case politically motivated.
The pre-trial detention period expires on Sunday, so this evening Imamoglu is due to appear in court to have a preventive measure chosen. The Republican People's Party has called on people to take to the streets. Analysts believe that if Imamoglu is not released, the protests may significantly intensify. The police are harshly dispersing the protests, using pepper and tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons.
Photo: AP