Analysis: Protesters criticize Erdogan as repression escalates

Turkish authorities have arrested nearly 1,500 people in the largest anti-government protests in more than a decade, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on March 25. Protests erupted on March 19 after the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main political rival of authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on corruption charges that his supporters consider politically motivated.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X - formerly Twitter - on March 25 that 1,418 people have so far been detained in "illegal demonstrations", of which nearly 1,000 are still in custody.

He also condemned those who, according to him, had "offended" members of Erdogan's family.

The most serious clashes between protesters and police - who used tear gas and rubber bullets - took place near Saraçana Square, close to the city administration. However, the protests observed by Radio Free Europe in Kadikoy, on the Asian side of Istanbul, have taken place peacefully.

Radio Free Europe spoke to some protesters in Kadikoy, where young people with tattoos marched side by side with elderly people with sticks, while demonstrators held portraits of the Imamoglu in their hands.

A woman who was marching with the Turkish flag in her hand, who presented herself as Merve, said the protest "is not just about the arrest of Imamoglu".

"For many years, this country has been mistreated, corruption has been high and human rights have been violated. We are protesting against this," Merve, 44, told Radio Free Europe.

Imamoglu, 54, was arrested at his home on the morning of March 19 along with dozens of others as part of a corruption investigation.

On March 23, he was elected the candidate of the opposition CHP (Republican People's Party) party for the presidential elections scheduled in Turkey for 2028.

Protests against his arrest have continued in many cities in Turkey throughout the week, despite calls from the authorities.

Yerlikaya has accused some protesters of "terrorizing" the streets.

During the protests in Kadikoy on March 23, the atmosphere was much calmer than Yerlikaya's description, with small business owners coming out to greet passing protesters. A souvenir shop had placed Imamoglu's photograph in front of the store.

Murati, a 20-year-old student, pointed out that Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003, is the only leader he has known.

"Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades. I don't want this anymore, I want democracy in my country," Murati said.

Erdogan said on March 24 that protests over the imprisonment of Imamoglu, who was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, have turned into a "movement of violence" and that the authorities will hold the CHP party responsible for material damage and injuries to police officers.

CHP flags were present everywhere in Kadikoy, where a large cloth portrait of Imamoglu was also hung in the central square.

The trendy neighborhood is popular among secular residents who frequent bars and cafes.

Meanwhile, Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has strong support from the more religious segments of Turkish society.

Mahmut, a taxi driver in Kadıj who supports Erdogan, told Radio Free Europe that he thinks the opposition is not credible.

"They are corrupt. They only know how to give beautiful speeches and deceive people. We should not protect them," he said.

The current anti-government protests are the largest since 2013, when demonstrations initially against plans to rebuild Gezi Park in Istanbul turned into nationwide protests.

Those protests were severely suppressed by the authorities, human rights organizations say 11 people were killed and more than 8,000 injured.

As evening approached on March 23 in Kadikoy, the sound of pots banging from balconies in support of Istanbul's imprisoned mayor echoed in the air./REL