Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the police headquarters in Istanbul, where Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was being held in custody.
Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the police headquarters in Istanbul, where Imamoglu was being held in custody, chanting slogans in support of the mayor on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Security forces blocked streets leading to the police headquarters. Authorities deployed riot police and water cannon trucks to prevent further gatherings. The Istanbul governor’s office also issued a ban on public rallies following Imamoglu’s detention.
The demonstrators described the arrest as a blow to democracy. Imamoglu, a representative of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained just days before his anticipated presidential nomination.
The mayor faces charges ranging from corruption to assisting a terrorist group, sparking widespread condemnation from opposition figures and critics of the Turkish government.
Students at Istanbul University attempted to breach police barricades, with police using tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Imamoglu has recently intensified his criticism of the president and his government. He said that he would not back down in the face of pressure.
Imamoglu was elected mayor in March 2019, marking a historic loss for President Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party. The AK Party had maintained control of the city for 25 years.
The government said that courts in Turkey operate independently and denied allegations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.
Turkish prosecutors also issued arrest warrants for 100 other individuals connected to the mayor, including his press adviser Murat Ongun, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
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