Pro-democracy demonstrators return to Istanbul’s streets for huge rally

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators supporting democracy have returned to the streets of Istanbul, Türkiye, to support the imprisoned mayor of the city.

EKREM IMamoglu, who is seen as the main competitor of President Ragab Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on charges of corruption last week, which sparked mass protests.

He denies the charges and claims that his arrest is politically driven.

Saturday’s crowds were so great that it leaked from the protest site to a neighboring garden. The head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) addressed the demonstrators, and read a speech from the prison of the prison that is being held in solitary confinement.

“I have no fear, you are behind me, next to me. I have no fear because the nation is united. The nation is united against injustice.”

The wife of Imamoglu, Delik, was protesting and told the crowd: “We will continue to fight and fight.”

The demonstrators waved the red and white Türkiye flags and hesitated: “Rights, law, justice!”

IMamoglu has worked as the mayor of Istanbul since 2019 and won a resounding victory in the municipal elections last year.

He is widely seen as the only Turkish politician who is able to challenge Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party – also known as AK – in the ballot box.

A series of pro -democracy protests has destroyed the country since IMamoglu was arrested more than a week ago.

While the Saturday demonstration was peaceful, the previous protests faced the heavy police tactics that fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Nearly 2000 people, including some journalists who were covering the protests, were arrested.

It includes the BBC correspondent Mark Lewin What was deported after the state claimed that it lacks the correct journalistic dependence.

Erdogan claimed that the protests amount to “street terrorism”Accusing the demonstrators of attacking the police and damaging public property.

There are concerns that IMamoglu will not face a free and fair trial when his case is heard in court.

The government denied the arrest of Imamoglu had political motives and insists that Turkish courts are completely independent.