Turkey has arrested dozens of people for what officials call provocative social media posts after the detention of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu triggered a new wave of protests.
The interior ministry said 37 people had been arrested over online posts, while police used tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators in Istanbul during a second night of unrest. The protests began after Imamoglu, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s chief political rivals, was detained on corruption and terrorism-related allegations.
Imamoglu had been expected to be named the CHP’s presidential candidate for the 2028 election. His detention, along with the arrest of 106 others, has led opposition leaders to accuse the government of staging a political crackdown. Erdogan and his ministers deny that claim and say the courts are acting independently.
The arrests show that the response is not limited to the streets. The government is also targeting the online space, where criticism and protest organization can spread quickly. BBC reported that the protests have become some of the largest Turkey has seen in years, even though they remain relatively small compared with Istanbul’s population of more than 16 million.
Ozgur Ozel, the CHP leader, told demonstrators the government was attempting a coup. Imamoglu, posting on X through his account, urged people to “stand against this evil as a nation” and said the events had gone beyond party politics.
The state has widened its pressure campaign before. BBC reported that authorities have arrested dozens of people over the past several months in a broader crackdown on opposition politicians, journalists and entertainment figures. That wider context is what makes the current wave of arrests so politically charged.
For Erdogan, who has held office for 22 years and cannot run again in 2028 without changing the constitution, Imamoglu represents more than a local rival. He is one of the few opposition figures with the reach to challenge the governing party nationally.
The government is betting that the protests will fade, but that may be risky. The ruling party suffered a significant local-election setback last year when the CHP won in Istanbul and Ankara, and Imamoglu’s arrest could deepen public anger rather than quiet it.
The dispute has also drawn international attention. Germany’s foreign minister said Turkey’s commitment to EU membership looks increasingly hollow, and the European Commission urged Ankara to uphold democratic values. That reaction suggests the arrests could do lasting damage to Turkey’s standing abroad as well as at home.
For now, the immediate story is straightforward: more arrests, more protests, and no sign that the clash between Erdogan’s government and the opposition is easing.
