Wave of Arrests in Istanbul: Rising Tensions Amid Protest Against Police Violence
On Monday, Istanbul witnessed a significant crackdown as authorities launched a wave of arrests targeting activists, journalists, and leftist politicians. The move comes in response to widespread protests following the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular social-democratic mayor of Istanbul and chief rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
While official figures are still awaited, Ibrahim Kaboglu, the president of the Istanbul Bar Association, spoke to Halk TV, indicating that approximately 300 arrest warrants had been issued, with at least 212 individuals apprehended. The Turkish Ministry of Interior reported that a staggering total of 1133 people have been arrested since the protests erupted.
Beginning early Monday morning, police conducted numerous raids throughout Istanbul, detaining a variety of individuals, including members of the Communist Party of Turkey, legal professionals, and at least three journalists from the progressive newspaper BirGün. Kaboglu expressed deep concern regarding the violent tactics employed by riot police during the protests, which have been taking place nightly in cities across Turkey.
"What is alarming is not only the arrests but the way they are carried out. As the protests disperse, participants are beaten, kicked, and thrown to the ground. This constitutes a clear attempt to intimidate social opposition," Kaboglu stated.
Reports from BirGün reveal that journalists covering the protests have faced police violence, with officers disregarding their press credentials and assaulting them with batons and kicks.
In a show of solidarity, students from the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara have called for a boycott of classes in protest against police violence and governmental repression, extending the invitation to other universities across the country. Turkish media outlets predict that students from cities like Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Çanakkale, and Eskişehir will join in the protests.
Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), announced that demonstrations will continue every night, commencing at 8:30 PM in different cities nationwide. He also urged a boycott against traditional media outlets that fail to cover the protests, noting that many of these outlets are aligned with government interests, as well as against products from companies associated with these media groups.
On Sunday, over 15 million citizens participated in primary elections organized by the CHP, showcasing their overwhelming support for Imamoglu as a viable presidential candidate in the upcoming elections slated for 2028. Özel remarked that this result signals the end of the government's legitimacy and renders early elections unavoidable.
As protests continue to escalate, President Erdogan's cabinet convened on Monday to discuss the ongoing investigation into Imamoglu, the widespread civil unrest, and related foreign policy issues.
This series of events highlights a crucial moment in Turkey's political landscape, with citizens increasingly vocal about their dissent in the face of governmental repression and violence.
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