Overview

• Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's opposition mayor and a key rival to President Erdogan, remains in prison following his March 19 arrest on corruption charges, which he denies as politically motivated.
• Protests, the largest since 2013, continue across Turkey, driven by youth and opposition supporters demanding democratic reforms and an end to authoritarian practices.
• Authorities have arrested nearly 2,000 people since the protests began, including journalists and opposition figures, with some released under judicial control while others remain detained.
• The Turkish government has intensified its crackdown on dissent, targeting opposition media with sanctions, expelling foreign journalists, and detaining local reporters covering the protests.
• International condemnation grows as Erdogan's government faces accusations of democratic backsliding, with critics likening the actions to a 'coup against democracy.'