Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has condemned the growing protests in Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor and key opposition leader, Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Speaking on Friday, Erdoğan declared that his government would not yield to demonstrations, acts of vandalism, or public disorder. "We will not tolerate any disruption of public order," he said.
Earlier this week, On Wednesday, Turkish police arrested İmamoğlu, a major political rival of Erdoğan, on charges of corruption and aiding terrorist groups. His arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition’s candidate for the 2028 presidential elections.
Following his detention, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across Turkey for three consecutive days, defying government restrictions. On Thursday, authorities detained 53 demonstrators, according to the Turkish Interior Ministry.
In Istanbul, large crowds gathered again on Friday, with police allegedly using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse them. Clashes were also reported in the western city of Izmir.
Özgür Özel, a senior leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), urged the public to continue peaceful protests across the country. "President Erdoğan is afraid of these protests," he said. "Wherever you are, gather in your city squares and demonstrate peacefully without engaging with the police."
In response, authorities imposed a four-day ban on public gatherings, while Istanbul’s governor ordered the closure of key bridges, including Atatürk and Galata, to curb protests. The Interior Minister accused the opposition of "irresponsible behavior," stating that 16 police officers were injured during clashes.
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading figure in Turkey’s secular opposition, has been a significant challenge to Erdoğan’s rule. He has twice defeated Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Istanbul elections, ending the party’s 25-year dominance in Turkey’s largest city.
His 2019 victory was a major setback for Erdoğan, as Istanbul is Turkey’s economic powerhouse, home to nearly 20% of the country’s population. Despite AKP's efforts to annul the election, İmamoğlu secured an even larger victory in the rerun, boosting his national popularity.
Following his second consecutive victory in 2024, many political analysts predicted that İmamoğlu was emerging as Erdoğan’s strongest opponent for the 2028 presidential race.
Recent legal challenges against İmamoğlu have intensified. On March 18, Istanbul University invalidated his academic degree, which could disqualify him from running for president under Turkish law. İmamoğlu denounced the move as "baseless and politically motivated," insisting that universities should remain free from political interference.
One day later, on March 19, dozens of police officers raided his home and arrested him on corruption charges. Just before his arrest, İmamoğlu posted a video on social media stating, "The will of the people cannot be silenced or suppressed. I stand firm with all those who believe in democracy and justice."
His party, CHP, condemned the arrest as an attempt to block his path to the presidency, calling it "a coup against the next president."
Erdoğan, who was re-elected for a third term in 2023, is constitutionally barred from running for office again in 2028. However, critics suspect he may attempt to amend the constitution to extend his rule.
While Turkey’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2028, the possibility of an early election cannot be ruled out, further escalating tensions in the country.
