Hundreds of thousands rally in Istanbul in support of imprisoned mayor

ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of protesters again congregated in Istanbul Saturday to how their support for the city's imprisoned mayor and demand his release.

Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP) organized the demonstration, the latest in a series of protests that resulted in hundreds of detentions and have turned up the pressure on the country's long-time leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to Erdogan, was detained on March 19th on corruption and terrorism charges that many saw as politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference.

His detention, and later formal arrest over the corruption charges on March 23rd, sparked nationwide protests despite assembly bans, police crackdowns, and legal prosecution by authorities.

“They’ve detained hundreds of our children, thousands of our youths... arrested hundreds of them,” CHP leader Ozgur Ozel told protesters. “They only had one goal in mind: to intimidate them, terrify them, make sure they never go out again.”

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since March 19, and pro-government media reported Friday that public prosecutors had requested up to three years imprisonment for 74 of the detainees.

Police kept their distance at Saturday's rally with no new arrests reported. Ozel called for the immediate release of Imamoglu, as well as for other political prisoners including Selahattin Demirtas, a former presidential candidate and founder of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM. "In the Turkey we envision presidential candidates will not be imprisoned," added Ozel. Last Sunday, hours after he had been formally arrested, Mayor Imamoglu won a symbolic primary to be the CHP's candidate in a presidential election currently scheduled for 2028, but which is likely to take place earlier. Ozel noted they would begin collecting signatures for Imamoglu's release and also to demand an early election.

Other speakers at Saturday’s rally included Dilek Imamoglu, the imprisoned mayor’s wife, as well as Ankara Mayor Masur Yavas, another high profile CHP figure.