Turkey Thousands at anniversary demo for Erdogan rival Imamoglu in Istanbul
One year after the start of the nationwide wave of protests against the arrest and dismissal of former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, thousands of supporters have once again gathered on the streets. The leading opposition party CHP had previously called for the rally in front of the city administration on Sarachane Square in the metropolis of Istanbul. People chanted slogans such as "President Imamoglu" and "Tayyip, resign" and waved their flags and banners. There was a large police presence.
18.03.2026, 21:42
SDA
CHP leader Özgür Özel said at the demonstration: "Hundreds of thousands of Ekrems are in the square". A year ago, a conspiracy full of slander and lies was launched, Özel said. The aim of the "coup" was Imamoglu and the rise of the party.
It began with a revoked diploma
Imamoglu is considered a promising opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in future elections. On March 18, 2025, Imamoglu was stripped of his university diploma - which is a prerequisite for running for president. One day later, he was taken into custody on terror and corruption charges - and was finally arrested on March 23 and removed as mayor. He himself denies the allegations.
Imamoglu has been in custody in the Silivri district of Istanbul ever since. The main trial against the Erdogan rival recently began - according to the state news agency Anadolu, he faces more than 2,000 years in prison.
Critics see the action against Imamoglu and other opposition politicians as a deliberate attempt by the government to eliminate the strongest opposition party in the country. The crackdown triggered the largest protests in Turkey for more than ten years. These resulted in a wave of arrests, among other things.
