US EditionTurkish crowds protest in support of jailed Erdogan rival one year after arrest
Thousands rallied to back Mayor Imamoglu amid a politically charged graft probe with prosecutors seeking a 2,430-year sentence, highlighting deep political tensions.
- Outside City Hall, crowds gathered Wednesday to mark one year since Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest, waving Turkish flags and chanting support.
- His arrest on March 19, 2025, came days before he was to be formally named CHP's presidential candidate, critics said it aimed to hobble him.
- Prosecutors have kept Imamoglu behind bars, his largest case went to trial on March 9, and they seek a 2,430-year sentence plus a university degree challenge.
- Last year, protests sparked clashes with riot police, leading to around 2,000 arrests of students, journalists, and lawyers during a security crackdown.
- Since the CHP's March 2024 local elections win, the party faces a crackdown with fifteen mayors jailed, and protesters said 'It's all political,' Yasemen Unlu and 'I don't think there's any hope,' Erkan Acar.
40 Articles
40 Articles
In the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul, thousands of supporters of the mayor Imamoglu, who was arrested a year ago, demonstrated for his release.
He wants to challenge President Erdogan, but Turkey's opposition politician İmamoğlu has been imprisoned for a year. Tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul to demonstrate for his release. Andrea Beer.
Turkey: Thousands of Imamoglu supporters rally in Istanbul
One year after his arrest on terrorism and corruption charges, thousands of supporters of jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu gathered to protest. In a pre-written message, Imamoglu slammed a "corrupt mindset."
Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was the most promising rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He has been in pretrial detention for almost a year.
El Periódico
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on Wednesday evening to commemorate the first anniversary of the arrest and imprisonment of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of the Turkish metropolis. Read more...
Ekrem Imamoglu, the main rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on March 19, 2025, when he was due to be formally nominated as the CHP (Republican People's Party) candidate for the next presidential election scheduled for mid-2028.
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