Turkey Escalates Crackdown as Protests Over İmamoğlu's Arrest Intensify
Mass demonstrations continue across Turkey demanding democracy and the release of Ekrem İmamoğlu, while the government targets journalists and opposition leaders.
- Thousands of students and citizens are protesting in Istanbul and other cities, calling for democracy, the release of Ekrem İmamoğlu, and the resignation of President Erdoğan.
- İmamoğlu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a prominent opposition figure, was arrested on March 19 on charges of corruption and alleged terrorism, disqualified from office, and barred from running for president.
- The Turkish government has intensified its crackdown, arresting two prominent investigative journalists, Timur Soykan and Murat Ağırel, for alleged 'threats and extortion' after their reporting on İmamoğlu's case.
- Opposition leaders, including CHP's Özgür Özel, have condemned Erdoğan’s administration as an authoritarian regime and are organizing nationwide demonstrations to demand İmamoğlu's release and early elections.
- International officials have criticized the muted response from the EU and Germany, urging stronger action against Turkey's suppression of democracy and press freedom.
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