Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu calls for mass protests after his arrest

İmamoğlu addressed citizens with a message, calling them to actively fight for rights and democracy in the country.

In his post, he stated that Türkiye had awoken from a "great betrayal," pointing to the trial he described as a "complete extrajudicial execution."

İmamoğlu emphasized the importance of every citizen's participation in the fight for Türkiye's future, especially in the context of protecting the rights of the nation and future generations.

The mayor urged citizens to "raise their voices, meeting" in the streets of Istanbul's Saraçhane and other provinces.

"This is the day to take responsibility against those who steal the nation's freedom and join the fight for rights," he wrote.

İmamoğlu's arrest

On March 19, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key political opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was detained in Türkiye. He is accused of corruption and aiding a terrorist organization — the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), although İmamoğlu denies these charges.

The arrest triggered mass protests in Istanbul, Ankara, and other cities across the country. More than 300 people were detained during the protests within a day.

The authorities warned they would not allow chaos or provocations, and the social media platform X blocked accounts that were spreading information about the protests.

The court session took place on Sunday, March 23. In the morning, İmamoğlu gave his testimony, which lasted for about two hours.

Additionally, the court decided to place the Mayor of Istanbul in custody during the pre-trial investigation.