Turkish opposition urges release of imprisoned protesters

Yahoo

31-03-2025

The party of the ousted Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has demanded the release of hundreds of imprisoned protesters.
"Chanting slogans, marching, or protesting is not a crime, but a right enshrined in the constitution," Republican People's Party (CHP) party spokesman Deniz Yücel said after a visit to a prison near İzmir.
He said the arrest and detention of the largely student protesters was unlawful. Yücel also criticised what he described as "disproportionate use of force" by security forces during the protests.
The arrest and subsequent imprisonment of the now-ousted Istanbul mayor İmamoğlu have triggered the largest anti-government protests in Turkey in years.
Following his arrest, İmamoğlu, who was selected as the presidential candidate of the CHP, the largest opposition party in Turkey, is considered the main domestic political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
According to the Interior Ministry, nearly 2,000 people were detained during the protests, with 263 arrested.
The opposition claims that 301 people are in pre-trial detention. An initial indictment is seeking up to three years in prison for some of them.
The CHP has accused the police of "torturing" those detained and has reported instances of sexual abuse.
The Turkish government has not yet addressed any misconduct.
The government-appointed provincial governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül, thanked the police on Sunday, stating that they had "properly" fulfilled their duties in connection with the protests.
During the current post-Ramadan holidays in Turkey, the street protests have temporarily subsided.
The CHP has called for a rally in Istanbul on Wednesday evening. On the same day, people plan to express their protest through a consumer boycott. Simultaneously, the party is running a petition campaign demanding the release of İmamoğlu and early elections.