Mass protests erupt in Istanbul after arrest of Mayor Ekram İmamoğlu

ISTANBUL — Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Istanbul on Wednesday to protest the arrest of the city’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu of the Republican People’s Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, CHP). The Turkish police detained İmamoğlu amid allegations of abuse of power, corruption, and purported links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, PKK). The arrest has sparked widespread outrage, with demonstrators condemning what they perceive as an attempt by the government to silence a prominent opposition voice ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Crackdown on Dissent

In a highly controversial move, İmamoğlu was taken into custody at a police detention center on Wednesday. In the aftermath of his detention, thousands of protesters, including students and ordinary citizens, flooded the streets of Istanbul. They chanted slogans such as “Erdoğan is a dictator” and “End this authoritarian rule immediately.” The Turkish government has imposed a four day media blackout on any coverage related to the arrest, further fueling public frustration.

Political analysts view İmamoğlu’s detention as a direct blow to Turkey’s opposition. “This arrest is nothing short of a political coup,” said Özgür Özel, leader of the CHP, during a televised interview. İmamoğlu, who has twice led his party to electoral victories in Istanbul’s municipal elections, is widely seen as the strongest rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming 2028 presidential election. Critics argue that the arrest, which occurred alongside the detentions of around one hundred other individuals on separate corruption and abuse-of-power charges, is an attempt to marginalize dissenting voices and consolidate power for the ruling establishment.

Economic Repercussions

The arrest has already had immediate economic consequences. Reports indicate that authorities have also seized the assets of İmamoğlu’s real estate company, sending shockwaves through the business community. Several foreign companies have reportedly reconsidered their investments in Turkey, and the Turkish Lira has begun to depreciate against the US Dollar. Analysts warn that these developments could further destabilize Turkey’s fragile economy.

Istanbul: Battleground and Bellwether

Istanbul, the city that straddles both Europe and Asia, has long been a hotbed of political activism and dissent. Historically, municipal elections in Istanbul have been seen as bellwethers for the broader political trends of the country. İmamoğlu’s victories in past elections marked a significant shift in local governance and served as a symbol of resistance against Erdoğan’s centralized control. However, his growing popularity and influence have also made him a target for government crackdowns.

This latest incident occurs amid a broader campaign by the Turkish government to curb dissent, with critics accusing it of using security forces to stifle political opposition and limit freedom of expression. The detention of a key opposition figure like İmamoğlu is viewed by many as a prelude to further political repression, particularly as the country approaches a crucial electoral cycle.

As protests continue to rage in Istanbul, the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stands as a stark reminder of the growing tensions in Turkey’s political landscape. With the upcoming elections looming and the economic situation already precarious, many fear that this is only the beginning of a broader campaign to silence dissent and consolidate power.

İmamoğlu Now, Demirtaş and Kavala Then

While İmamoğlu is the latest competitor of Erdoğan to be targeted by the state, he is not the first.

Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the now outlawed Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP), was arrested in November 2016, accused by the state of having links to the PKK.

The Turkish government claimed that Demirtaş and other HDP leaders were supporting or facilitating the PKK through inflammatory speeches and political statements. In particular, Demirtaş was accused of inciting violence in the wake of the 2015-2016 unrest in the Kurdish-majority regions of Turkey.

Demirtaş and his supporters have denied these allegations, arguing that the charges were politically motivated, aiming to suppress opposition and silence dissent, especially in light of the HDP’s growing influence and its support for Kurdish rights. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2018 that Demirtaş’s imprisonment violated his rights, but he remained in custody.

Osman Kavala, a prominent Turkish businessman, philanthropist, and civil society activist, was arrested in 2017. His arrest and subsequent legal battles have been widely criticized as politically motivated. Kavala was accused of attempting to overthrow the Turkish government, particularly in connection with the 2013 Gezi Park protests and the 2016 coup attempt.

Kavala’s arrest came shortly after the Gezi Park protests, where millions of people in Turkey participated in demonstrations initially triggered by a plan to demolish the park. Kavala had been known for his support of civil rights and democratic reforms, and he was believed to have been involved in funding and promoting civil society movements that were critical of the government’s policies.

Initially, Kavala was charged with attempting to overthrow the government by instigating the Gezi Park protests, but these charges were later dropped. Instead, he was accused of playing a role in the 2016 coup attempt, which sought to overthrow President Erdoğan’s government. The Turkish authorities claimed that Kavala was a key figure in a network tied to Fethullah Gülen, the exiled cleric blamed for orchestrating the coup attempt, although there was no concrete evidence to support this claim.

Kavala’s arrest, trial, and imprisonment have sparked significant international condemnation. Human rights organizations and foreign governments, including the European Union and the United States, have criticized the charges against him, viewing his detention as part of a broader effort by the Turkish government to stifle dissent and target opposition figures. In 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Kavala’s detention violated his rights to a fair trial and freedom, but like Demirtaş, he too remains in custody.