Overview

• The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges, widely seen as politically motivated, has triggered Turkey’s largest anti-government protests in over a decade.
• Protesters, led by the opposition CHP, demand democratic reforms, judicial independence, and economic relief, as inflation and a depreciating lira exacerbate public frustration.
• Over 1,900 arrests have been reported, including students, journalists, and activists, as the government intensifies its crackdown on dissent.
• The CHP has called for weekly rallies and economic boycotts targeting businesses linked to President Erdogan’s government, further mobilizing urban middle-class participants.
• International criticism of Erdogan’s government has grown, with solidarity protests occurring abroad, particularly in cities like Berlin, highlighting the global resonance of Turkey’s political crisis.