Turkish and Polish flags waved side by side in the heart of Warsaw on Sunday as hundreds gathered in solidarity with protesters in Turkey denouncing the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and the broader erosion of democracy in the country.
The demonstration, organized by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) of Turkey in Poland, saw participants chanting slogans against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and voicing concerns over the Turkish government’s crackdown on dissent.
İmamoğlu, widely seen as the strongest potential challenger to Erdoğan in the 2028 presidential election, was arrested on March 19 on charges of corruption and alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
His arrest came just one day after he was stripped of his university diploma, a move that could disqualify him from running for Turkey’s highest office under constitutional rules.
The Turkish government has dismissed allegations that İmamoğlu’s arrest was politically motivated, arguing that the case follows the rule of law. However, opposition leaders and international observers have condemned the move as an attempt to eliminate Erdoğan’s most formidable political opponent.
“We love our country. We can’t be there, but our hearts are there,” one demonstrator said. “So we want to support the country by protesting in Warsaw. We want something to change.”
The Warsaw protest mirrored large-scale demonstrations across Turkey. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands attended a CHP rally in Istanbul demanding İmamoğlu’s release, while university students called for the freedom of jailed peers.
Can Yıldız, CHP’s representative in Poland, said the location of the Warsaw protest was chosen deliberately. “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of Poland’s symbols. In our own history, we also have many unknown soldiers,” he said. “They will always stand against injustice, corruption, and lawlessness.”
The Turkish government’s crackdown on dissent has intensified in the wake of İmamoğlu’s arrest. Nearly 2,000 people, including journalists, have been detained in recent weeks, according to rights groups.
