site.btaThousands Gather in Turkish City of Yozgat to Support Jailed Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu

Thousands of people gathered in the city of Yozgat, central Turkiye, on Saturday for a rally organized by the opposition Republican People's Party  (CHP) in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Oksijen newspaper reported.

Imamoglu and other Istanbul district mayors were arrested one month ago on this day. On March 23, a Turkish court formally placed Imamoglu under arrest pending trial on corruption charges. His arrest has sparked mass protests in Turkiye's major cities, which have resulted in clashes with police and hundreds of arrests. Following his arrest, Imamoglu was officially named the CHP’s presidential candidate. Although Turkiye is not due for another election until 2028, there is a reasonable possibility that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will call for an early vote in order to run for another term. Imamoglu's arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated. The government insists Turkiye’s judiciary is independent and free of political influence, the Associated Press said.

The rally in Yozgat is the second in a series of protests calling for Imamoglu's release. The protests were announced by CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, who pledged to hold similar events in different districts every weekend. The first was held last week in the Black Sea city of Samsun. Weekly protests are also taking place every Wednesday in Istanbul.

Saturday’s rally also expressed solidarity with local farmers, who previously protested against Imamoglu's arrest, opposition broadcaster Sozcu reported. The square in Yozgat where the rally took place was teeming with people carrying placards with the picture of Imamoglu and banners demanding his release and calling for early elections. People from different political forces attended the event, the media outlet said. 

Ozel arrived at the rally by tractor, joined by a convoy of farmers who drove nearly six kilometres to the protest site, Sozcu added.

A letter from Imamoglu was read aloud during the rally. In it, he called on the government to heed the voices of millions across Anatolia, urging respect for democracy and the rule of law. “The rich, the poor, the right-wing, the left-wing, the middle class - all are asking the government for the same thing. Listen to the nation, respect the people, do not trample on democracy. Do not undermine the credibility of the State and the law," the letter said.

Addressing the crowd, Ozel said that the rally was one of the largest in Yozgat's history and expressed support for the farmers, Medyascope reported. 

According to Ozel, Imamoglu's arrest and the subsequent injustices have had a negative impact on the economy. 

The city of Yozgat, with a population of some 500,000, is the seat of a district of the same name, which relies on agriculture as its primary source of livelihood.

Until 2024, Yozgat was a stronghold of Devlet Bahceli's Nationalist Movement Party, an ally of President Erdogan. However, in a surprising outcome in the local elections, the Islamist New Welfare Party, which went into opposition, won the district by a margin of nearly 7%.

Also on Saturday, a large group of students gathered in Beyazıt Square outside Istanbul University and began marching towards Sarachane Square in support of the rally in Yozgat. There was a heightened police presence in the area. Тhe Taksim, Sishane and Kabatas metro stations in downtown Istanbul were ordered closed from 3 p.m. on Saturday until further notice, Turkish media reported.