Türkiye/Turkey News
Tens of thousands of people across Turkey have been protesting the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Protesters have been fired upon with tear gas and rubber bullets in what has become the worst unrest in the country for more than a decade.
Demonstrations began in Istanbul on 19 March, sparked by the arrest of leading opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu earlier the same day.
It came days before Imamoglu was due to be elected as presidential candidate for the secular Republican People's Party (CHP). He was confirmed as the party's candidate for the 2028 election from his prison cell on Sunday, following a symbolic vote.
Prosecutors accuse Imamoglu of corruption, which he denies. More than 100 people have also been detained as part of the investigation.
He was formally arrested on Sunday and charged with "establishing and managing a criminal organisation, taking bribes, extortion, unlawfully recording personal data and rigging a tender". He has also been suspended from his post as mayor of Istanbul.
His CHP party said the arrest represented a "coup against our next president" and called for supporters to take to the streets in protest.
Students demonstrated at multiple universities in Istanbul, chanting "We are not scared, we won't be silenced, we will not obey" - a common opposition slogan in Turkey.
Protests started off relatively small in scale for a city with more than 16 million people.
But they have since spread to dozens of other cities across Turkey and are now on a level not seen for more than a decade.
Demonstrations have been largely peaceful, though there have been clashes with police using water cannons and tear gas.
There has been a major nationwide crackdown in recent months with authorities targeting opposition politicians, journalists and figures in the entertainment industry.
Some protesters say the demonstrations also represent wider concerns over Turkey's shift toward autocracy, as well as the economy and healthcare.
SOURCE BBC
