Turkish authorities have detained more than 1,100 people during protests following the arrest of Istanbul’s opposition mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, a total of 1,133 protesters were taken into custody between March 19 and March 23.
Yerlikaya announced the arrests on X (formerly Twitter), accusing demonstrators of abusing their right to assembly, disrupting public order, inciting unrest, and attacking law enforcement. He reported that 123 police officers were injured during the protests.
“Legal proceedings continue against those who attack our police, damage public property, and threaten the security of our people. A total of 1,133 suspects have been detained for illegal actions committed between March 19 and March 23, 2025,” Yerlikaya stated.
He also claimed that some of those detained were allegedly linked to 12 different terrorist organizations.
The protests erupted after a court ruled on March 23 to arrest İmamoğlu on corruption charges. His lawyers have announced plans to appeal the decision. However, the court rejected a separate request for his arrest over alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
İmamoğlu’s prosecution has triggered widespread demonstrations across Turkey, highlighting growing political tensions in the country.
