Photo credit: Balkan Insight
Protests have erupted in Turkey after authorities detained the mayor of Istanbul, days before he was due to be selected as a presidential candidate.
BBC reports that Ekrem Imamoglu of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) is seen as one of President Recep Erdogan’s strongest political rivals.
The prosecution accused him of corruption and aiding a terrorist group. Police detained 100 people as part of the investigation..They include politicians, journalists and businessmen.
Meanwhile, the Istanbul governor’s office has imposed four days of restrictions in the city.
Imamoglu said online “the will of the people cannot be silenced”.
Protesters took to the streets, university campuses and underground stations, with crowds chanting anti-government slogans, in a display of public anger not seen in years.
There were reports of clashes between protesters and police in Turkey’s largest city. thousands of people rallied in the cold in front of the city hall, shouting: “Erdogan, dictator!” and “Imamoglu, you are not alone!”
The government has banned public gatherings I Istanbul as part of the four days of restrictions. But more protests are anticipated nationwide as opposition leaders, including Imamoglu’s wife, urge people to “raise their voices.’
