Protests for Imamoglu: Türkiye is up to against Erdogan's repression!

Protests for Imamoglu: Türkiye is up to against Erdogan's repression!

In Turkey, the political situation under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes on alarming trains. The deposed mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, is held in the Marmara prison in Silivri after he was arrested on March 19th due to allegations of corruption. His arrest in numerous cities led to nationwide protests by the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which went on the streets in protest against Erdogan's authoritarian politics. According to Kleine Zeitung IMAMOGLU reported that Turkey under Erdogan has transformed into a "republic of fear".

The reaction of the authorities to these protests was brutal. The police were violent against the demonstrators, and almost 1900 people were temporarily arrested, including numerous journalists. According to reports, over 100 civil servants were injured, while the exact number of injured demonstrators was not announced. Despite these repression, Imamoglu explained his thanks to the demonstrators on platform X and praised their courage. On Friday, the tenth protests in several cities, including Istanbul, took place where arrests are still being recorded.

democracy movement and international reactions

Imamoglu, which positions itself against the interception of democratic control mechanisms and the constant manipulation of elections by Erdogan's government, demands resistance to uncontrolled rulers. In his opinion, Democrats have to appear adamant in order to counteract a step back into the dictatorship. Also nau.ch emphasizes that imamoglu is also pursued in addition to the alleged corruption allegations, which is also motivated as political is viewed.

The reaction of international organizations to the situation in Turkey remains worrying. The Council of Europe and the European Court of Justice are calling for the release of Osman Kavala, another prominent critic that has been detained for seven years. The clear picture that results from the various reports is that of a continuing suppression of civil society in Turkey. In the past few weeks, several media professionals have been arrested and threatened just because they reported on the protests and the situation in the country.

outlook and future developments

Asena Günal von Anadolu Kültür explains that Erdogan's use of the judiciary and the police serves to get rid of his main competitors. Analysts fear that the situation could continue to be worsening if the CHP, which organizes the protests and mobilizes the public, should not be able to build pressure against the government. According to DW.com , the participation of young people in the last few weeks increased, which wakes hopes for a greater democracy movement in the future.

The CHP plans to continue the protests until an early presidential election is scheduled or imamoglu is released. The pressure on the government will increase, and the coming time could be crucial for how the political conditions in Turkey develop.