Police have detained dozens of people in early morning raids across multiple cities, as protests continue following the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and nearly 100 municipal officials earlier this week.
The operations reportedly primarily targeted university students and members of leftist groups. The Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) reported that several students were detained by anti-terror police during raids in Ankara, along with one of its own members, a lawyer. The youth organization Sol Genç (Left Youth) said three of its members were also detained.
Youth groups affiliated with the People’s Houses, one of Turkey’s longstanding left-wing movements, stated that several people were detained in raids in İstanbul, following clashes with police during demonstrations last night.
The Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), which holds four seats in parliament, reported that the homes of many of its members were raided in Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir, and Çanakkale.
In Ankara, a gathering organized by İmamoğlu's Republican People's Party (CHP) at Güvenpark was met with police intervention late yesterday. Speaking from atop a bus, Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş addressed the crowd, saying, “University students are in the square, people are on the streets. Because there is lawlessness in this country. Democracy is being disregarded.”
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced late yesterday that 97 people had been detained during the protests throughout the day, not including those held in this morning’s raids.
Opposition leader urges peaceful protests
Protests have continued across the country since İmamoğlu was taken into custody on Mar 19 as part of a wide-ranging investigation into alleged terrorism links and financial misconduct in municipal companies. The demonstrations are now in their fourth day.
In İstanbul, the center of the protests remains Saraçhane Square, in front of the Metropolitan Municipality headquarters. Thousands have gathered there each evening. Last night, clashes broke out between police and protesters attempting to march from Saraçhane to the iconic Taksim Square, resulting in several more detentions.
CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed crowds at the square and urged demonstrators to remain peaceful.
“We are in Saraçhane now because we are supposed to be in Saraçhane,” Özel said. “When the time comes to be in Taksim, we will be in Taksim.”
Background
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and dozens of others, most of them municipal officials, were detained in police raids on the morning of Mar 19. The operation came just days before İmamoğlu was expected to be declared the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate in the party’s presidential primary scheduled for Mar 23.
Authorities have launched two separate investigations involving a total of 106 suspects. One centers on terrorism-related charges, while the other involves alleged corruption.
The terrorism probe focuses on the CHP’s cooperation with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party during last year’s local elections. The two parties collaborated at the district level, with DEM refraining from fielding candidates in some areas to support the CHP, while in other districts, DEM members ran on CHP lists and were elected to municipal councils. This strategy, dubbed the “urban consensus,” helped the CHP win 26 out of İstanbul’s 39 district municipalities and secure a majority in the metropolitan council.
Prosecutors allege that this alliance was orchestrated by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), citing public statements by PKK leaders during the campaign urging cooperation with the opposition. The first arrest linked to the investigation was Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, a Kurdish academic, who was jailed and removed from office in January. Ten more officials from six district municipalities were arrested in February. The investigation has since expanded to include İmamoğlu.
The corruption investigation, which affects 100 of the 106 suspects, involves allegations of bribery, embezzlement, fraud, and bid rigging in municipal subsidiaries. İmamoğlu is accused of leading a criminal organization for profit.
The CHP has described the operation as a "coup" against an elected mayor and called for public demonstrations. Saraçhane Square, in front of the metropolitan municipality building, has become the focal point of protests, where CHP leader Özgür Özel addresses large crowds each evening.
University students have also staged protests in various cities. While most gatherings have remained peaceful, clashes between demonstrators and police have led to daily detentions. Dozens more have been detained in home raids linked to the protests.
Authorities imposed internet restrictions on the morning of İmamoğlu’s detention, severely slowing access to major social media and messaging platforms. The bandwidth throttling, which rendered many apps nearly unusable, lasted for around 42 hours.
Additionally, the Interior Ministry has detained numerous individuals over protest-related posts on social media. Court orders have blocked access to various leftist and student group accounts.
Explained: The broader context behind Turkey’s crackdown on İstanbul mayor
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