Turkey: The Incarceration of Ekrem Imamoglu Sparks Historic Protest Movement

Ekrem Imamoglu, the main opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and mayor of Istanbul, was imprisoned on Sunday, March 23, at Marmara Prison, also known as Silivri Prison, west of Istanbul. Arrested on Wednesday, he was taken into custody along with several co-defendants, accused of “corruption” due to an electoral agreement with a pro-Kurdish party, which Turkish authorities suspect of ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Before his incarceration, Imamoglu denounced “an execution without trial” and a judicial process “far from being fair,” in a statement relayed by his lawyers.

A Massive and Unprecedented Mobilization

Since Wednesday, a protest movement of historic scale has spread across the country, reminiscent of the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Every evening, tens of thousands of demonstrators gather in front of Istanbul’s city hall, waving flags and chanting slogans against the government. On Sunday, Imamoglu’s wife, Dilek Imamoglu, addressed the crowd: “What you have done to Ekrem has touched a sensitive nerve, reminding us all of your injustices. You will be defeated!”

The protests are not limited to Istanbul. From Diyarbakir to Edirne, including Ankara and Izmir, massive demonstrations have erupted. According to a tally conducted on Saturday, at least 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces have been affected. Despite an extended ban on gatherings until Wednesday night imposed by authorities, protests continue.

A Major Political Crisis

The Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition force to which Ekrem Imamoglu belongs, has denounced a “political coup” and announced its intention to appeal the court’s decision. The symbolic CHP primary, maintained as a show of solidarity with the mayor, turned into a landslide victory, with 15 million votes cast in favor of Imamoglu.

Internationally, the reaction has been strong. France condemned the imprisonment as “a serious violation of democracy,” reminding that Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe and a candidate for the European Union. Meanwhile, social media platform X revealed that the Turkish government had requested the suspension of more than 700 accounts deemed hostile, including media outlets, political figures, and students.

Amid growing protests, Ekrem Imamoglu sent a message from his prison cell to his supporters: “The time for elections will come. The nation will deliver an unforgettable slap to this government.”