Turkey detained over 1,100 demonstrators, including multiple journalists, during recent protests
Authorities have detained over 1,100 individuals, including journalists, in the wake of the arrest of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's primary political adversary, officials reported on Monday. This event has sparked some of Turkey's most significant unrest in recent years.
Protests erupted in Istanbul following the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu last week, rapidly expanding to over 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces. The widespread demonstrations have led to confrontations with riot police and have attracted international criticism, according to an AFP report.
Within a span of merely four days, the individual transitioned from his role as the mayor of Istanbul—a position that had once served as the springboard for Erdogan’s political ascent decades ago—to facing arrest, interrogation, incarceration, and ultimately being removed from office. This rapid development came as a consequence of an investigation into allegations of graft and terrorism.
On Monday morning, authorities apprehended 10 Turkish journalists at their residences, among them a photographer from Agence France-Presse (AFP), according to a statement from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA). The detentions were reportedly linked to their coverage of ongoing protests.
Reports indicate that the majority of the individuals were covering the large-scale demonstrations that took place outside City Hall, drawing tens of thousands of participants on Sunday night.
