Turkish protesters took to the streets for the second consecutive day, condemning the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption and terrorism charges. Imamoglu, a strong rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday, just before his expected nomination as the opposition CHP party's candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

The protests, which drew thousands, were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from riot police. Despite a protest ban, demonstrators gathered outside Istanbul City Hall, expressing outrage over Imamoglu's detention. The CHP party has denounced the arrest as a "political coup," claiming Imamoglu's only crime was leading in opinion polls.
Imamoglu, who was re-elected as mayor last year, faces accusations of aiding a terrorist organization, bribery, extortion, and corruption. Human Rights Watch has called for his immediate release, urging Erdogan's government not to politicize the justice system.

The situation has sparked international concern, with the Council of Europe, German Foreign Ministry, and French Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing strong reactions. The incident has also led to economic instability, with the Turkish lira losing value against the US dollar.

Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/20/turkey-massive-protests-erupt-over-istanbul-mayor-s-arrest_6739362_4.html