ISTANBUL, Turkey — April 8, 2025: More than 130 people in Istanbul may go to prison for up to three years because of protests that happened after the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, reported daily Hurriyet.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has finished the first official charges (called indictments) against 139 people. These charges were accepted by the Istanbul 49th Criminal Court on April 8. Right now, 104 of those people are still in jail while they wait for trial.
The protests started last month after Mayor İmamoğlu was arrested. His arrest caused large demonstrations all across the country. Over 1,000 people were detained, and many were later arrested.
Prosecutors say that the protesters broke Turkey’s Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations. If found guilty, they could face between six months and three years in prison. Some protesters are also being investigated for resisting the police and insulting the president.
According to the charges, Turkey’s main opposition party—the Republican People’s Party (CHP)—told people to gather outside city hall in the Saraçhane area on March 19. This was right after the mayor’s arrest. But from March 19 to 23, the government had banned protests in the city, saying they could lead to public problems.
Even after being told about the ban, protesters stayed and refused to leave, the court documents said. Police used loudspeakers to ask them to go, but many did not listen. The indictment claims that some protesters attacked police, threw objects like stones and bottles, and even tried to block security cameras using laser pointers.
Many of the protesters have denied the accusations. They say they were only using their right to protest peacefully and did not attack anyone.
The situation is still developing, and trials are expected to begin soon. The case has received attention both in Turkey and internationally, especially as it relates to free speech and political opposition in the country.
