Hundreds to appear before Turkish judiciary over Ekrem Imamoglu protests

About 500 people were due to appear before judicial authorities in Turkey on Tuesday after protests erupted following the detention of the Istanbul’s former mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, the country's Interior Minister has said.

Almost 1,000 others remain in custody having been detained over their suspected involvement in street demonstrations that broke out after Mr Imamoglu, a leading figure in the political opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, was detained and then arrested last week. Mr Imamoglu has been in custody since Sunday on corruption charges, which he denies.

"While 979 suspects are still in custody, 478 people will be brought to the judicial authorities today," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X on Tuesday. "Those who attempt to terrorise the streets, attack our national and spiritual values and our police officers will never be compromised."

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Turkey in support of Mr Imamoglu, despite authorities banning gatherings in cities such as Istanbul and the capital, Ankara.

Among those detained were 43 people suspected of shouting insults aimed at the President and his family during protests in Istanbul on Monday night. Turkey's penal code allows for prison sentences of up to four years for people who insult the President, with extended jail time possible for those who commit the offence in public.

Separately, 10 journalists were detained in raids early on Tuesday, said the Media and Law Studies Association, a non-profit organisation. Six of them, including Agence France-Presse photojournalist Yasin Akgul, were arrested, Turkey's journalists' union said. In the Turkish legal system, a person detained on a suspected collective offence committed by three or more people can be held for up to four days, after which they must be released or arrested.

Mr Erdogan's critics say the arrest of Mr Imamoglu is politically motivated because the former Istanbul mayor is seen as the Turkish leader’s strongest competitor in presidential elections. Turkish government officials deny the accusation and say the rule of law is being applied. Mr Imamoglu is expected to be replaced in a vote by Istanbul city council members on Wednesday.

EU politicians have criticised his arrest, saying it counters Turkey’s long-held aspirations to join the bloc. “Political rivals do not belong in prison or in court,” Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on X.

Demonstrations, dominated by students, in support of Mr Imamoglu have continued for six nights in a row, as traditional rallying points such as Istanbul's central Taksim Square have been cordoned off. Significant numbers of police have been deployed around other sites of protest, which have at times descended into clashes between demonstrators and riot officers. Security forces have used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters, some of whom have thrown projectiles at police.

Turkish government officials have accused the political opposition of disturbing public peace by calling for protests in defiance of the ban. “We are certainly aware of the cheap calculations of cowards hiding behind the excitement of some young people,” Mr Erdogan said in a post-iftar address on Monday night.