Thousands of protesters gathered in central Istanbul to denounce the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the city’s mayor and a leading opposition figure. The demonstration, held outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters at 8:30 PM, saw passionate speeches from his wife, Dilek Imamoglu, and Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader, Özgür Özel.
A Political Arrest?
Imamoglu’s detention comes just days before he was expected to announce his candidacy for the presidency, directly challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in upcoming elections. The arrest has been widely condemned as a political move aimed at sidelining a key opponent.
Dilek Imamoglu called on Turkish citizens to mobilize for the upcoming primaries on Sunday, where the CHP is set to choose its presidential candidate. “Today, it is not just Ekrem Imamoglu who has been arrested—legitimacy itself has been taken into custody,” she declared, criticizing the government’s actions.
Özgür Özel, leader of the CHP, delivered a fiery speech, addressing Erdogan directly: “Look at this crowd! This is what terrifies you the most.” He labeled the mayor’s arrest as “an attempted coup”, arguing that Imamoglu represents Erdogan’s biggest political threat.
“Imamoglu is Erdogan’s worst nightmare because he knows that whoever wins Istanbul can win all of Turkey,” Özel asserted, referencing the city’s political significance.
Calls for Action Ahead of Elections
With Turkey’s political climate heating up, both Özel and Dilek Imamoglu urged the Turkish people to take to the streets and participate in Sunday’s primaries.
“I call on everyone who is tired of dictatorship and one-man rule to stand up and choose their next leader at the ballot box,” Özel stated. The CHP primary elections will be the first of their kind, marking a crucial moment for Turkey’s opposition movement.
