Hundreds detained in Turkey as crackdown fails to deter protestors

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About 1,500 people, including a photographer of AFP, have been detained in the Turkish capital on Tuesday following the arrest of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s central political rival.

The biggest protests in Turkey over a decade spread after the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor Akim Amogloo on charges of corruption, a move viewed as a clear violation of the rule of opposition law.

Along with seven journalists covering the remand by the Istanbul court on Tuesday, officials have affected the crackdown with the crackdown.

Among them were AFP photographer Yasin Akgol, who was sharply complaining by a Paris -based news agency.

“His imprisonment is unacceptable, which is why I am asking you to intervene as soon as possible for the speedy release of our journalist,” said the CEO and chairman of the agency, Fabris Freys, in a letter written to the Turkish presidency.

The court accused 35 -year -old Akgol and others of “participating in illegal rallies and marches”, though Freys said Akgol was not part of the protest but was covered as a journalist.

‘No Medi’

Without reporters of the Media Freedom Group, borders (RSF) termed the arrests “notorious”, its Turkish representative, Aerol Onderglo, said it “reflects a very serious Turkish situation”.

Until Tuesday, police detained 1,418 people to participate in the “illegal demonstration”, Interior Minister Ali Yarlaikia wrote on X, warning that there would be no “privileges” for those who terrorized roads.

Since the arrest of Amogloo on March 19, a large mob has violated a protest ban on collision on the roads daily, which spread unrest in Turkey and caused conflicts with security forces overnight.

Erdogan is notorious, facing the biggest protests in Turkey since the 2013 Gazi uprising in connection with the restoration of the Istanbul Park, which has condemned the gatherings as a “street terror”.

Erdogan, who ruled a quarter of a century on a NATO member, said, “Those who spread terrorism on the streets and want to fire this country have nowhere to go anywhere to go. The path they have taken is a dead end.”

But when he spoke, thousands of students marched on Cecili District of Istanbul, whose mayor, Resolve Emara Sahan, was sent to Amogloo Jail in the same case.

He chanted “government, resignation” and hoisted flags and banners as the riots stood with a great deployment of police.

People above the apartments defeated the dishes to show their approval.

Many protesters covered their faces with a scarf or mask to avoid being identified by the police.

“We can’t freely express it,” a student who told AFP, gave his name, said he, however, joined the protest “to defend democracy.”

In addition, thousands of people staged a rally for the seventh night in which a protest organized by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) of the Amoglovo, the house of Istanbul City Hall, which had been operating since 2019.

There may be a long relationship. CHP leader Ozgur Ozil called a massive rally in Istanbul for Saturday saying he would be the “largest open air referendum in history” and would put pressure on the initial election.

“We have enough and we want initial elections,” Ozel told the protesters.

‘Dark Time for Democracy’

The riot police used water cannons, black pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters, the Council of Europe condemned the use of “unpublished” power, while Human Rights Watch said it was a “dark time of democracy” in Turkey.

The United Nations also expressed danger of using Turkey’s widespread detention and its “ban on illegal blankets”, which urged authorities to investigate any illegal use of force.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed “concerns” after meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Faden.

But Ozil told a crowd of Sarchen: “We do not reduce the number with arrests – more of us will be.”

He added that the crackdown limit was such that “there is no room left in Istanbul prisons”.