Protests in Turkey Intensify after Mayor of Istanbul Arrested

What Happened?

Protests have erupted across Turkey in support of Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the mayor of Turkey’s largest city Istanbul. Mr. Imamoglu was arrested on charges of corruption and supporting terrorism. 

After denying the charges, Mr. Imamoglu accused Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan of using state security forces to remove a political rival. Mr. Imamoglu is seen by many as a contender for Turkey’s next presidential elections. 

Although exact numbers are difficult to determine, it appears tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets in Istanbul and across Turkey to protest Mr. Imamoglu’s arrest.

Why it Matters

The protests this week are the largest demonstrations Turkey has seen in over a decade, and they threaten to push Turkey into a political crisis. Last week police arrested Mr. Imamgolu at his office. Shortly after, he was removed from office and jailed. 

He is currently awaiting trial on charges of corruption and supporting terrorism. 

Critics have claimed the arrest was politically motivated, and they have at least some circumstantial evidence on their side. During the last race for mayor of Istanbul Mr. Imamoglu defeated a rival who was handpicked by Turkish President Erdogan.

The former mayor is widely seen as someone who could defeat Erdogan in Turkey’s next Presidential election. However, that election won’t take place until 2028, which means it’s possible the arrest wasn’t motivated by politics.

Istanbul is Turkey’s largest and most economically productive city. The charges against the former mayor include leading a criminal organization, overseeing bribery, bid rigging, and financial misdeeds.  

Mr. Imamoglu is also accused of supporting terrorism through his political coordination with a pro-Kurdish group during last year’s municipal elections. To date, Turkey’s government has offered no evidence publicly to support these charges. 

According to the New York Times, Turkey’s government “has also issued protest bans in major cities, limited access to social media sites and flooded pro-government news channels with leaks aimed at indicating Mr. Imamoglu’s guilt.” 

The actions by Turkey’s government stand in contrast to what President Erdogan told the public, which was to trust the court system and wait to see what the final verdict is. Instead of simply waiting on Turkey’s court system to rule, allies of Mr. Erdogan appear to be actively engaged in an effort to convict Mr. Imamoglu in the court of public opinion.

How it Affects You

The protests in Turkey and the Turkish government’s response to them illustrate what could be part of a familiar pattern. For example, protests in Kiev, Ukraine in 2013 triggered a harsh security crackdown, and the public response to those security measures was to fight back, which ultimately led to the current war in Ukraine.

Turkey’s government is also using security forces to aggressively go after protestors, but it remains to be seen how the majority of Turkey’s population will respond to such actions.