President Erdogan called the protests across Turkey this past week "evil" and said the main opposition party "should be ashamed." He told politicians to "stop disturbing the peace of our citizens with provocations." The unrest started when police arrested Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's mayor and an Erdogan critic, on corruption charges. Imamoglu stayed behind bars Sunday night and claims these charges exist purely for political reasons, something Erdogan says isn't true.
New groups of protesters have begun meeting in Istanbul as the troubles enter their sixth day. People march through Istanbul streets just a night after police blasted them with water cannons and tear gas during violent clashes. The Turkish government reported they arrested 1,133 people since the protests first erupted last Wednesday. Turkey won't hold its next presidential election until 2028, but the Republican People's Party (CPH) already named Imamoglu as their candidate after a symbolic primary vote today.
The sharp smell of tear gas hangs in Istanbul's air, but you can detect something else – signs that Turkey's longtime leader might feel scared. Putting a political rival in jail seems like standard practice, but locking up Istanbul's popular mayor Imamoglu suggests President Erdogan feels threatened, and perhaps he made a mistake. The mayor's Republican People's Party brings huge crowds into the streets hoping exactly that. Imamoglu – always dressed neatly even when facing arrest – stands as the main challenger to Turkey's increasingly controlling president.
He might replace Erdogan in elections scheduled before 2028 – if authorities allow him to run. This crisis goes beyond just Istanbul's mayor, despite his appeal. Freedom and democracy have slowly disappeared during Erdogan's time in power. Many citizens view these protests as their chance to stop Turkey from becoming a complete dictatorship – if they still can. They appear each evening despite facing riot police with tear gas and rubber bullets, bans on public gatherings closed roads and bridges, and the risk of arrest.
New groups of protesters have begun meeting in Istanbul as the troubles enter their sixth day. People march through Istanbul streets just a night after police blasted them with water cannons and tear gas during violent clashes. The Turkish government reported they arrested 1,133 people since the protests first erupted last Wednesday. Turkey won't hold its next presidential election until 2028, but the Republican People's Party (CPH) already named Imamoglu as their candidate after a symbolic primary vote today.
The sharp smell of tear gas hangs in Istanbul's air, but you can detect something else – signs that Turkey's longtime leader might feel scared. Putting a political rival in jail seems like standard practice, but locking up Istanbul's popular mayor Imamoglu suggests President Erdogan feels threatened, and perhaps he made a mistake. The mayor's Republican People's Party brings huge crowds into the streets hoping exactly that. Imamoglu – always dressed neatly even when facing arrest – stands as the main challenger to Turkey's increasingly controlling president.
He might replace Erdogan in elections scheduled before 2028 – if authorities allow him to run. This crisis goes beyond just Istanbul's mayor, despite his appeal. Freedom and democracy have slowly disappeared during Erdogan's time in power. Many citizens view these protests as their chance to stop Turkey from becoming a complete dictatorship – if they still can. They appear each evening despite facing riot police with tear gas and rubber bullets, bans on public gatherings closed roads and bridges, and the risk of arrest.
