Turkey is witnessing widespread unrest following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. İmamoğlu was detained on charges of corruption and alleged links to a terrorist organization, accusations he firmly denies, calling them politically motivated.

Demonstrations have spread to at least 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, with Istanbul seeing the largest protests. Clashes have erupted between protesters and police, who have used pepper spray and detained numerous individuals. In response, the government has imposed a four-day ban on public gatherings in Istanbul.

International reactions have been swift, with the European Union, France, and Germany expressing concern over İmamoğlu’s arrest. The political turmoil has also impacted financial markets, with the Turkish lira briefly hitting an all-time low against the US dollar.

The timing of İmamoğlu’s arrest is significant, as it comes just days before he was expected to be selected as the presidential candidate for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2028 elections. Many observers see his detention as an attempt to sideline a major political rival ahead of the elections.

The situation remains tense, with opposition leaders urging continued demonstrations against what they see as an authoritarian crackdown. More protests are expected in the coming days as public outrage continues to grow.