Türkiye is in turmoil due to the arrest of Istanbul mayor, fierce clash between protesters and police, 123 policemen injured
a
The scope of anti-government protests is increasing in Turkey’s capital Istanbul. Protests are being held across the country against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Anti-government protesters clashed with the police on Monday. The police used tear gas to disperse the protesters. During this, hundreds of protesters were taken into custody by the police.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is counted among the top rivals of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This is the reason why after the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, people in Turkey erupted in anger and came out on the streets. On Sunday, Ekrem Imamoglu was formally arrested by the police on the instructions of the court. The court has ordered to keep him in jail till the trial on corruption charges.
Recently, the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul saw the biggest demonstration on the streets after a decade, after which concerns about democracy and law and order increased. A media association said Turkish authorities arrested several journalists from their homes on Monday amid protests after the Istanbul mayor was jailed. The Dix-Basin-Iz Media Workers Union said at least eight reporters and a photojournalist were arrested.
‘Recommendation to block X’
The Dix-Basin-Iz Media Workers Union has called the arrest of journalists an attack on press freedom and people’s right to know the truth. The association has demanded the immediate release of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. On the other hand, social media platform X claimed that it was opposing several court orders issued by Turkish authorities, which asked to block more than 700 accounts. This includes accounts of Turkish news organizations, journalists and many political figures.
1,133 protesters arrested
Internal Affairs Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that a total of 1,133 people have been arrested so far since the mayor’s arrest. He further said that 123 policemen were injured during these demonstrations. Apart from this, dangerous weapons like acid, fire bombs and knives have been recovered from the protesters.
Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a message posted on social media that some people are misusing the right to gather and protest. He said that not only this, some protesters are disrupting public order and spreading unrest on the streets. The protesters also tried to attack our police. Ali Yerlikaya claimed that some of the people detained are associated with terrorist organizations. Similarly, other people also have criminal records.
