Turkish police detained 11 people for allegedly supporting a one-day shopping boycott organized in protest of the arrest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main rival.
Hundreds of thousands of Turks nationwide have heeded opposition calls to protest since Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained and then jailed last month pending trial on graft charges.
Protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and some Western governments have all said the case against İmamoğlu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdoğan.
The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.
On Saturday, CHP leader Özgür Özel called on citizens to boycott businesses with perceived ties to Erdoğan. The anti-government campaigners had also called for the boycott of media outlets that refused to broadcast images of the mass protests against the jailing of Erdoğan’s main rival, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and some Western governments have all said the case against İmamoğlu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdoğan.
The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.
On Saturday, CHP leader Özgür Özel called on citizens to boycott businesses with perceived ties to Erdoğan. The anti-government campaigners had also called for the boycott of media outlets that refused to broadcast images of the mass protests against the jailing of Erdoğan’s main rival, the Associated Press news agency reported.
The campaign evolved into a one-day shopping halt on Wednesday. In support, some cafes, restaurants and bars in Ankara and Istanbul kept their doors closed on Wednesday.
The government has condemned the boycott as an attempt to destabilize the economy.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the calls sought to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity, citing potential violations of “laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility.”
Citing the prosecutor’s office, state news agency Anadolu said on Thursday police carried out simultaneous raids across multiple locations, detaining 11 suspects, while efforts to apprehend the remaining five continued.
The CHP has vowed to continue demonstrations until İmamoğlu is released.
On March 23, members of CHP voted to elect İmamoğlu as the CHP’s presidential candidate.
The presidential vote is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.
The government has condemned the boycott as an attempt to destabilize the economy.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the calls sought to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity, citing potential violations of “laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility.”
Citing the prosecutor’s office, state news agency Anadolu said on Thursday police carried out simultaneous raids across multiple locations, detaining 11 suspects, while efforts to apprehend the remaining five continued.
The CHP has vowed to continue demonstrations until İmamoğlu is released.
On March 23, members of CHP voted to elect İmamoğlu as the CHP’s presidential candidate.
The presidential vote is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.
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