Erdogan calls Turkey protests over Imamoglu arrest ‘evil’

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the opposition political parties for raising the “violence movement”, as protests continued in the country on the sixth night.

Istanbul’s turmoil began last Wednesday when the city’s mayor, Emamoglu, the main presidential competitor of Erdogan, was arrested on charges of corruption.

Thousands of people gathered again on Monday. The disturbances escalated on Sunday evening, as the demonstrators fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Imamoglu, who was also suspended from his position as a municipality, said the allegations against him were of political motives, and it was a claim that Erdogan denied.

Large numbers of riot police were accompanied by the demonstrators around the Istanbul city hall on Monday evening, where the crowd chanted and the Turkish flags waved.

Also, vehicles carrying water cannons were seen in the vicinity, although the protests seem to be largely peaceful with the fierce clashes that were seen on Sunday.

In personalities issued before Monday evening, the Turkish government said that 1133 people have been arrested since the protests began.

In a previous televised statement, Erdogan described the demonstrations as “evil” and blamed the opposition political parties for “annoying the peace of our citizens with provocations.”

He spoke from Ankara, the capital of Turkey, who called for the end of the protests and said that “instead of responding to allegations”, the opposition parties “made” the most illegal and illegal data in our political history in their favor. [the last] Five days.

CHP özgür leader spoke to the thousands who gathered on Monday evening He told the crowd that the demonstration was “a challenge against fascism.”

Ozil said he would visit Imamoglu in prison in Silivri on Tuesday. He said that the Republican People’s Party will appeal to the release of the politician pending the trial, and that its trial will be shown live to the state broadcaster TRT.

Although he was in detention, IMamoglu was confirmed on Monday as a candidate for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2028 presidential elections. The vote that confirms his nomination was symbolic because he was the only person to run.

He spent Sunday night in prison after he was officially arrested and was charged earlier in that day with “the creation and management of a criminal organization, the bribes, extortion, illegal recording of personal data and forgery of giving.”

In a post on X during the weekend, IMamoglu said that he “will never bend” and his arrest is average as a “black stigma on our democracy.”

He also sent greetings to those who protested and said that the voters showed that Türkiye was “enough” from Erdogan.

The demonstrations seen in recent days are the largest in Türkiye since the 2013 Gezi protests, which started in Istanbul due to the demolition of a local park.

They were largely peaceful, but Sunday police officers shot the water cannons and used the pepper spray, and the clashes were revealed.

Delik Kaya Emamoglu, the wife of Imamoglu, was outside the Istanbul city hall and told the demonstrators that the “injustice” that her husband faced “hit a tendon with every conscience.”

Imamoglu was one of more than 100 people who were arrested last week as part of the investigation. Among the others were the arrest of politicians, journalists and businessmen.

His arrest does not prevent his nomination or his election as a president, but he will not be able to run if he is convicted of any of the charges against him.

The imprisoned politician is seen as one of the most massive competitors in Erdogan, who has held his position in Türkiye for 22 years as prime minister and prime minister.

However, due to the limits of the duration, Erdogan cannot nominate positions again in 2028 unless the constitution changes.

The Ministry of Justice in Türkiye criticized those who link Erdogan to arrests, and insisted on its judicial independence.