Following six straight nights of protests in cities across , authorities have detained 1,879 people since the demonstrations began last Wednesday, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
The protests erupted after , a key opposition figure and rival to President , was jailed on corruption charges.
Yerlikaya said that of those detained, 260 remain in custody awaiting trial, while 489 have been released and 662 are still under legal review.
He added that 150 police officers were injured during the unrest and claimed that some of the detainees had past criminal records or alleged links to banned groups.
All protesters were held on accusations of resisting law enforcement, the Interior Ministry told Germany’s DPA news agency. A nationwide ban on public gatherings has now been extended through April 1.
Imamoglu stripped of candidacy requirements before arrest
One day before being jailed, — a requirement for running for president in Turkey. He was then removed from office and detained on charges related to financial misconduct.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc defended the arrest during a briefing with international media in Istanbul.
He said the case was based on serious allegations, and that Turkey had asked European partners to approach the situation with “common sense.”
Tunc also addressed the timing of Imamoglu’s arrest, which came just before he was expected to be named as the main opposition candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
The minister claimed the legal action was based on criminal investigations, not political timing. “We don’t want the arrest of any politician, but if there is evidence of a violation then it can happen,” he said.
Police respond with force to student demonstrations
In Ankara, police dispersed a student demonstration at Middle East Technical University early Thursday using water cannon, tear gas, and plastic bullets.
Students had gathered to read a statement, but were blocked by police and eventually surrounded. Some used dumpsters as makeshift shields until police moved in to detain them.
Opposition lawmaker Melih Meric from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) was seen soaked in water and affected by tear gas.
“My student friends only wanted to make a press statement, but the police strictly did not allow it, this is the result,” Meric said in a post on social media.
Journalists detained while covering protests
Broadcasting watchdog RTUK in Ankara announced on Thursday that a 10-day broadcast ban will be imposed on opposition TV channel Sozcu. It claimed that the channel is inciting “hatred and hostility” leading to broadcast violations.
Many last week during protests. Among those detained was AFP photojournalist Yasin Akgul.
Akgul, 35, and six other journalists were taken from their homes before sunrise and charged with participating in unauthorized demonstrations and ignoring police orders to disperse.
A Turkish court released Akgul and other six journalists on Thursday. According to court records seen by Reuters, all seven journalists face charges related to unlawful assembly.
“We deplore the arrests of journalists and shutdown of social media accounts” said spokesman Guillaume Mercier on Thursday after Turkish authorities allegedly asked social media platform X to block over 100 user accounts.
Turkey ranks 158th out of 180 in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
The post Turkey: 1,900 protesters detained after Imamoglu’s arrest appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
