Hundreds of supporters have gathered in front of an Istanbul courthouse where detained Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is undergoing questioning over allegations of corruption and terror links.
His arrest this week intensified political tensions and sparked widespread protests across Turkey, with demonstrators rallying in multiple cities to voice their opposition.
Police questioned him for around five hours on Saturday as part of an investigation into allegations of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, the Cumhuriyet newspaper reported.
Protesters outside Caglayan courthouse in Istanbul (Emrah Gurel/AP)
The cities listed included Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya and Edirne.
The mayor, who is a popular opposition figure and seen as a top challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday after a dawn raid on his residence over allegations of financial crimes and links to Kurdish militants.
Dozens of other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.
Many view the arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove a popular opposition figure and key challenger to Mr Erdogan in the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028.
Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independently.
Imamoglu’s arrest has ignited protests that have steadily increased in intensity.
Police use pepper spray during clashes with protesters (Khalil Hamra/AP)
On Friday, police in Istanbul used pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets to push back hundreds of protesters who tried to break through a barricade in front of the city’s historic aqueduct while hurling flares, stones and other objects at officers.
Police also dispersed groups who had rallied outside the city hall for a third night running, after the opposition Republican People’s Party leader, Ozgur Ozel, delivered a speech in support of the mayor.
Simultaneously, police broke up demonstrations in Ankara, the capital, as well as in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, resorting to forceful measures at times, according to television images.
Thousands marched in several other cities calling on the government to resign.
Earlier, Mr Erdogan said the government would not tolerate street protests and accused the opposition party of links to corruption and terror organisations.
Authorities in Ankara and Izmir announced a five-day ban on demonstrations following a similar measure imposed in Istanbul.
Protesters carry a security fence during clashes with riot police (Emrah Gurel/AP)
“An anti-corruption operation in Istanbul is being used as an excuse to stir unrest in our streets. I want it to be known that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring unrest to Turkey just to protect their plundering schemes,” Mr Erdogan said.
Imamoglu’s arrest came days before he was expected to be nominated as the Republican People’s Party’s presidential candidate in a primary on Sunday. Mr Ozel has said the primary, in which around 1.5 million delegates can vote, will go ahead.
The opposition party has also urged citizens to participate in a symbolic election on Sunday — through improvised ballot boxes to be set up across Turkey — to show solidarity with Imamoglu.
In a tweet posted shortly before his arrival at the courthouse, Imamoglu urged the public to safeguard the ballot boxes for Sunday’s primary: “Don’t forget: they are very afraid of you and your democratic right to vote.”
In an earlier message, he described his arrest as a “coup” and accused the government of exploiting the judiciary and worsening the country’s troubled economy.