Tens of thousands protested in the cities surrounding the Turkish on Saturday against a prominent opposition political arrest.

Citizens challenged a ban on the gathering and moved to the streets, where the opposition’s politician supporters described the charges as ecumenical. These are the largest Turkish protests in more than a decade.

Here is what you need to know about the mass protests and what is happening in Turkey.

Why are there protests in Turki?

People moved to the streets because of the arrest of Ikram Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a possible opposition candidate in the upcoming Turkish presidential elections.

His supporters say that the charges are politicized and aimed at preventing him from running for the presidency in three years.

However, some demonstrators say this is greater than Imamoglu and represents wider conflicts, including concerns related to democracy, economy, education and health care.

When did the protests start?

The protests began on Wednesday, on the same day that IMamoglu was arrested, with thousands of Istanbul University of Istanbul, detention.

They have since continued, with the biggest protest so far on Saturday evening.

Who is Ekrem Imamoglu and what happened to him?

He is the mayor of Istanbul and a possible candidate in the upcoming presidential elections with the CHP.

The 53 -year -old took office in 2019 and was re -elected in 2024.

On March 19, IMamoglu, with more than 100 other people, was arrested by Turkish police on charges of corruption and assistant to a banned political group.

One day, Istanbul University canceled its degree, making it inappropriate to run for the presidency. He had a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Human Resources Management.

The university claimed that there are violations in its diploma after it moved from a private university in northern Cyprus.

This step came only days before the Republican People’s Party was appointed to choose its candidate in the 2028 presidential elections.

What did you address?

Imamoglu was initially accused of corruption, bribery and “terrorism”.

Prosecutors in Istanbul said that Imamoglu led a criminal organization participating in systematic fraud, increasing bids, embezzlement, and bribery, according to Anadolu (AA), Turkish New Zeu.

He was also accused of the help of the PKK (PKK), which they consider Turkish, the United States and the European Union a terrorist group.

Prosecutors claim that Imamoglu participated in the “urban consensus” initiative linked to the popular democratic Congress [HDK]AA, AA AA, a pro -censorship PKK entity, said before the local elections in Turki in March 2024.

According to the Turkish media, the “urban consensus” was an attempt to give Kurdish actors more influencing municipal policy.

On Sunday, the court ruled that Imamoglu imprisoned without a guarantee awaiting trial for corruption.

“Terrorism” charges, however, it was dropped. “Although there are strong doubts about helping an armed terrorist organization, because he has already decided that he will be arrested due to financial crimes, (his arrest) is not considered necessary at this stage.”

Since IMamoglu has not been accused of “terrorism” charges, the court will not be able to appoint a government secretary in the Istanbul municipality, as Sinem Koseoglu stated from the island, adding that the mayor will be elected from within the municipal council.

What did he say about these charges so far?

̇Mamoğlu He denied the charges.

“Today, during the interrogation of my country, I and my colleagues are facing unimaginable accusations and conditions.”

“I strongly reject all allegations.”

He posted on his page, previously, Twitter, thanked international actors for his support and demonstrators who moved to the streets.

The mother’s heart talks about the deepest reality.

For all mothers and children Türkiye and their future, we must persevere. pic.twitter.com/LTO9H8TCCD

– Ekrem ̇mamoğlu (IMAMOGLU_INT) March 20, 2025

What did President Erdogan say?

On Friday, Tayyip Erdogan President Tayyip Erdogan gave a public speech as he said that the system of issues should be allowed to do his work without interference.

He condemned the protests, describing it as “horror of the street” and says: “We will not accept the disruption of public order.

Erdogan said: “The reference to the streets instead of the court halls to defend theft, looting, chaos and fraud is a serious lack of responsibility.”

“Just as we have not surrendered to the street terrorism yet, we will not bend to sabotage in the future.”

The Republican People’s Party collapsed a handful of proverbs in the party’s finger -“Gazi’nin Trust”, and disturbed the people who voted for the Republican People’s Party.

Ensure that our sincere CHP citizens cannot digest the shame itself again 32 years after the ISKI scandal. pic.twitter.com/1d4uvcwood

– Rajab Tayyip Erdogan (@rtterdogan) March 22, 2025

Translation: The fact that a handful of greedy people who have become linked to the Republican People’s Party is manipulating the party that dates back to a century, disturbs our people who voted for the Republican People’s Party, saying that it is “the legacy of the invader.”

Be reassuring, sincere CHP citizens can witness the same shame again after 32 years of the ̇ski scandal.

What is the size of the protests?

At least tens of thousands to the streets of Istanbul.

Opposition leader Ozjor Ozil said that more than 300,000 people have joined the protest, and they gathered in several places throughout the largest city in the country because of the closure of the road and bridges preventing people from all of them in one place.

These are the biggest anti -government protests in Istanbul since the Gezi Park demonstrations in 2013.

The demonstrators threw stones and tampering with the Turkish police, who responded with pepper spray. In the capital of Turkiye Ankara, the demonstrators met with tear -tear gas and gas guns.

Ali Yerlikaya, the Minister of the Interior in Turki, said that 323 people were detained after on Saturday night protests.

He said: “There will be no tolerance with those who seek to violate the social system, threaten peace and security for the people, and to follow chaos and provocation.”

When are the presidential elections?

The next scheduled elections in 2028.

But it is believed that the early elections are possible.