Turkish authorities have detained 1,133 people over five days of protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul’s ousted mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on March 24.
The protests erupted after İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained on March 19 on charges related to corruption and terrorism. A court ruling on March 24 led to his removal from office and imprisonment pending trial.
From the evening of March 19, hundreds of thousands gathered nightly outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters in Saraçhane, as well as in other cities, defying protest bans in Istanbul, the capital Ankara, and the western province of İzmir.
“Between March 19 and March 23, a total of 1,133 individuals were taken into custody for participating in unauthorized demonstrations. Among those apprehended, individuals with ties to 12 terrorist organizations were identified,” Yerlikaya said on X.
Local media reported violent clashes between police and demonstrators, particularly outside Istanbul’s city hall on March 23.
Yerlikaya said some detainees had previously faced charges for crimes ranging from narcotics offenses to theft, fraud, sexual assault, and intentional bodily harm — spanning 17 different criminal offenses.
“In these protests, 123 police officers sustained injuries. Authorities confiscated acid, stones, clubs, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, axes, and knives. Legal proceedings are ongoing against individuals who assaulted law enforcement, vandalized public property, and endangered public safety,” Yerlikaya said.
Issuing a warning, he added: “We openly caution against any attempts to exploit our youth and citizens for political agendas. The repercussions will not be merely political but legal as well — no one will escape accountability.”
Earlier on March 24, an additional 71 individuals were detained in follow-up operations targeting those accused of causing disturbances. Reports indicated several journalists covering the demonstrations were among those arrested.
The protests have continued despite the crackdown. İmamoğlu’s successor is set to be chosen in a municipal council vote on March 26. A similar ruling was issued for Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was also detained on corruption allegations, with the district council set to elect a new mayor on the same day.
Additionally, Cevdet Ertürkmen officially assumed office on March 24 as trustee to replace arrested Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, who faces terrorism charges. In response, two deputy mayors resigned in protest.
