ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Turkish police have arrested over 1,100 protesters during the nearly week-long demonstrations sparked by the arrest of Istanbul’s deposed Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Monday.
A total of “1,133 suspects were detained in illegal actions carried out between March 19 and March 23, 2025,” Yerlikaya wrote on X, adding individuals “affiliated with 12 different terrorist organizations were identified among those captured.”
Yerlikaya added that detained individuals were “subject to legal proceedings for 17 different crimes, including drug, theft, fraud, sexual harassment…”
Yerlikaya detailed that 123 members of riot police were injured by demonstrators.
"Acid, stones, sticks, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, axes, and knives were seized in these actions. Legal proceedings are ongoing against those who attacked our police, damaged public property, and threatened the security of our people,” the minister said.
"No one should attempt to use our youth and our people as a shield for their political ambitions.” the interior minister added. "The terrorization of our streets and the threat to the peace and security of our nation will absolutely not be tolerated.”
Despite his arrest, Imamoglu was formally named the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for the 2028 presidential race.
Imamoglu, who will be the main rival of Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the upcoming presidential elections, was detained by security forces on Wednesday on multiple charges including bribery, extortion, money laundering, and aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
His arrest sparked large demonstrations across the country in recent days, with clashes breaking out between the protesters and security forces who used tear gas and water cannons to quell the protests.
A day before his arrest, Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu’s university degree, on grounds it was falsely obtained, a move the CHP described as a political “coup”.
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