Hundreds of thousands protest in Istanbul against Erdogan's repression

Hundreds of thousands protest in Istanbul against Erdogan's repression

Istanbul, Türkei - On Saturday, the opposition protests against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the Asian side of Istanbul to demonstrate against the detention of the Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The demonstrators called for democracy in Turkey. Özgur Özel, the head of the largest opposition party, stated that more than two million participants took part in the protests. These protests have been the greatest mobilization for a long time and are a sign of resistance to the authoritarian regime Erdogan.

The protests that have been taking place in several cities for the tenth time since Friday were organized under the motto "for democracy". The CHP leadership demanded that the protests continue until an early presidential election is scheduled or imamoglu is released. The 53-year-old Imamoglu himself said in a guest post for the "New York Times" that Turkey under Erdogan had become a "republic of fear". His arrest is in the context of subsequent resentment, which has increased in recent years.

nationwide protests and social frustration

The protests were primarily worn by young people who also boycott lectures at universities. These are characterized by frustration to increasing inflation, poor job opportunities and falling educational quality. In February, inflation in Turkey was almost 40 percent, which led to a massive devaluation of the Turkish Lira. Despite the official bans in demonstration in several cities, people stand up brave and risk prison terms. More than 1,400 people have already been arrested, including many young adults and even minors.

The opposition calls for the expansion of the protests after the arrest imamoglus, which took place on March 19 due to allegations of corruption, beat far -reaching waves. Political scientists warn that resistance to Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian politics will be a lengthy struggle. The mayor is currently in solitary confinement in the Silivri high-security prison, while the investigation against him also runs due to alleged terrorist support.

repression and resistance

The government's reactions to the protests are violent and the police are violent against demonstrators. Over 100 people are advertised in the context of investigations to arrest Imamoglus. Numerous media professionals who reported on the protests were also arrested. The struggle for freedom of the press is considered increasingly threatening, since the criminal offense of the disinformation is generously interpreted. Journalist Ismail Saymaz, who was arrested due to older statements related to the 2013 Gezi protests, is only one of many examples of repression against critical voices in Turkey.

Asena Günal, managing director of Anadolu Kültür, sees in the current developments a targeted approach to Erdogan to eliminate his political rivals. While frustration is growing over the political and economic conditions, many expect repression against oppositioners to continue. Meanwhile

It remains to be seen how the situation in Turkey will develop and whether the demonstrators can further gain strength in their demand for a return to democracy. However, the protests clearly show the growing resistance against Erdogan's authoritarian politics and the urgency to defend political freedoms.

For current information on the protests and the political situation in Turkey, further developments are crucial. Observers and analysts remain concerned about the independence of the judicial system and the general human rights situation in the country.

Further information on the protests can be found on OE24 , Deutsche Welle .