Turkey: Opposition protesters flock to Istanbul streets

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Istanbul for a mass rally called for by the main Turkish opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)  against the jailing of the Turkish city's mayor and top party figure Ekrem Imamoglu.

Imamoglu's March 19 arrest on corruption charges has sparked one of the biggest street demonstrations against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The opposition figure is believed to be the only Turkish politician capable of challenging Erdogan in a presidential election.

The CHP designated him as its candidate for the race despite his detention. The party, rights groups and Western governments all believe his arrest and continued detention are politically motivated.

What happened at the protests?

Protesters gathered in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul, waving Turkish flags and banners for the CHP-organized "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally.

Some protesters were seen on board ferries crossing the Bosphorus, chanting "everywhere is Taksim, resistance is everywhere," a correspondent for the French AFP news agency said. The chants are in reference to massive 2013 protests centered around the iconic Taksim Square.

"If justice is silent, the people will speak," read one banner.

"The trend of the economy, the trend of justice, law — everything is getting worse. That is why we are here. We say 'rights, law and justice' and we are seeking our rights," the Reuters news agency quoted one CHP supporter who declined to give a name as saying.

Imamoglu's March 19 arrest has sparked one of the biggest street demonstrations against ErdoganImage: Umit Bektas/REUTERS

Crackdown on journalists persists amid protests

Authorities have continued to crack down on media coverage of the protest movement. On Thursday, a Swedish journalist was detained upon arriving at the airport before being formally jailed on Friday.

Joakim Medin had flown into the country to cover the protests, his employer, Dagens ETC, told AFP. The Swedish media outlet said his charges were not immediately clear, but Turkey's Anadolu Agency said he was being held for "insulting the president" and belonging to a "terrorist organization."

"I know that these accusations are false, 100% false," Dagens ETC's Editor-in-Chief Andreas Gustavsson wrote on X.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Stockholm was taking Medin's arrest "seriously."

Some 13 Turkish journalists have been arrested in five days. Eleven were freed Thursday, including AFP photographer Yasin Akgul. Authorities also deported BBC correspondent Mark Lowen on the grounds he posed "a threat to public order," after holding him for 17 hours.

Edited by: Sean Sinico