Hundreds of Thousands of Protesters Gathered in Istanbul for a Mass Rally Called by Turkey’s Main Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Against The Jailing Of The City’s Mayor and Top Party Figure Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu’s March 19 Arrest on Contested Corruption and Terrorism Charges Has Sparked One of theBiggest Street Demonstrations Against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan The resistance Figure is Believed to Be the only Turkish Politician Capable of Challenging Erdogan in A Presidential Election.
Imamoglu was resoundingly re-elected as Istanbul Mayor for theThird Time Last Year The Chp Has currently marked HIM as Its Candidate for the Race Despite his apprehension.
The Party, Rights Groups and Western Governments All Believe His Arrest and Continued Detention ARE Politically Motiveized, While the Anger Over His Arrest, which Began in Istanbul, Has Quickly Spread Across Turkey.
What occurred at the demonstrations?
Protesters Gathered in Maltepe on the Asian Side of Istanbul, Waving Turkish Flags and Banner for the Chp-Organized “Freedom for Imamoglu” Rally
Chp Leader Ozgur Ozel, Who Organized the Rally, Said 2.2 Million People Joined the Protest, however it was not feasible to Independently Confirm the number.
Ozel Said the Charges Against the Mayor Were Baseless and Politically Motived, and the Chp Called for a Boycott of Media Outlets, Brands and Stores That It Says Are Pro-Erdogan
Imamoglu, at the same time, resolved the group in a read-out letter, requiring unity versus his “Unlawful” apprehension.
“I am not afraid at all. Because Our Dear nation is united,” He composed from his high-security cell inIstanbul’s Marmara Prison “We will not Bow to Tyranny. From My Endless Cell, I Cry Out: The Nation is great.”
“With every move he makes Against me, Erdogan Shows that he is someone whoons who from elections and is afraid of his opponent,” The Letter Continued.
Some militants got on board ferryboats going across the Bosphorus, Chanting “Everywhere is Taksim, Resistance is everywhere,” The French AFP News Agency Reported,Citing One Correspondents The Chants Are About The Massive 2013 Protests Centered Around the Iconic Taksim Square.
One unrevealed Chp Supporter Told Reuters News Agency: “The Trend of the Economy, of Justice, Law – Everything isGetting Worse That is why we below. *
The Chp Has Vowed to Maintain Demonstrations Until Imamoglu Is Released and Cleared to Run in What The Party Hopes Will Be Early Elections.
Crackdown on Journalist Persists Amid Protests
Hundreds of Thousands of Turks Nationwide Have Joined Protests Since Imamoglu was Detined Last Week and afterwards Jailed Pending Trial.
The Demonstrations Have Been Mostly Peaceful, however Nearly 2,000People Have Been Detailed Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya Said This Week 260 People Have Been Jailed Pending Trial As of Thursday.
Erdogan, that has actually controlled turkish national politics for over twenty years, has actually rejected the demonstrations as a “show” and contacted the chp to quit “Provoking” turks.
Authorities have, at the same time, remained to punish media insurance coverage of the demonstration activity. On Thursday, a Swedish reporter was described upon coming to the airport terminal prior to stog officially jaailed on friday.
Joakim Medin Had Flown Into the Country to Cover the Protests, his company, Dagens and so on, Told AFP. The Swedish Media Outlet Said his fees Were not instantly clear, however Turkey’s Anadolu Agency Said He was stonheld for “Insulting the president” and Belong to a “Terrorist organization.”
“I know that thesis Accusations are false, 100% false,” Dagens and so on Editor- in-chief Andreas Gustavsson Wrote on X.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard Said Stockholm was Taking Medin’s Arrest “Seriously.”
Some 13 Turkish reporters have actually been jailed inFive Days Eleven Were Freed Thursday, consisting of AFP Photographer Yasin Akgul.
Authorities So Deported BBC Correspondent Mark Lowen on the Grounds He Posed “A Threat to Public Order,” After Holding Him for 17 Hours.
Edited by: Sean Sinico, Roshni Majumdar
