ISTANBUL, Turkey — March 27, 2025 — Large-scale protests have swept across Turkey following the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, on March 19. The detention of İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has sparked widespread demonstrations in cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir, marking some of the largest unrest the country has seen in over a decade.
Authorities detained İmamoğlu and several other opposition members on charges of corruption and alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. The government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has defended the arrests as necessary legal actions. However, the CHP and its supporters have denounced the move as a politically motivated effort to silence dissent and weaken a key rival ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
Hundreds of thousands of people, including students, labor union members, and civil rights advocates, have taken to the streets since the arrests. Demonstrators have voiced concerns over the state of democracy in Turkey, citing issues such as economic difficulties, limits on free expression, and the independence of the judiciary. The CHP has described İmamoğlu’s detention as a “coup” against democratic principles, a claim the government has rejected.
Clashes between protesters and security forces have been reported in multiple cities. Police have deployed tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, with the Interior Ministry stating that over 1,300 individuals have been detained since the protests began. The government has imposed bans on public gatherings in several areas and Erdoğan has publicly condemned the demonstrations, calling them acts of “street terrorism.” Despite these measures, the protests have continued, drawing support from a broad coalition of opposition groups and citizens.
The unrest highlights ongoing tensions in Turkey, where Erdoğan has led the country since 2003. As the situation develops, both sides remain steadfast, with the government asserting its commitment to law and order, and protesters demanding the release of İmamoğlu and broader political reforms.