Overview

• Tens of thousands of protesters gathered before Istanbul City Hall chanting for Ekrem İmamoğlu’s release and decrying judicial abuse against opposition figures.
• Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported the arrest of 42 demonstrators accused of insulting President Erdoğan and resisting security forces after the rally.
• Earlier on July 1, Turkish authorities detained more than 120 İzmir municipal workers on corruption suspicions in an operation the CHP described as politically motivated.
• Ekrem İmamoğlu has been held in pretrial detention since mid-March on corruption charges he rejects and continues to serve as the CHP’s 2028 presidential nominee.
• International observers and opposition leaders warn that sustained detentions, media restrictions and judicial interventions signal deepening erosion of Turkey’s democratic norms.