CHP says that protests continue until the jailed mayor is released

The head of the Turkey opposition party has told the BBC that the protests will continue “in each city” until the first presidential elections are called, or the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, will be released from the prison.

Ozgur Ozel, president of the Republican Popular Party (CHP) of the mayor, said that national protests would include a very large demonstration this Saturday in Estanbul. That will open the party campaign for Imamoglu to be the next president of the country in the elections that will be presented in 2028, he said.

“In every city we are going, we will have the greatest manifestations in its history,” Ozel said.

“The belief in Ekrem Imamoglu and democracy will make the protests bigger and more strong,” he told us at the headquarters of his party in Istanbul, since visitors, staff and advisors enter and come out.

The opposition has brought great crowds to the streets, the largest seen here in more than a decade, since Imamoglu was arrested seven days ago.

Together with the mass demonstrations, there have also been mass arrests, more than 1,400 people and telling, including seven Turkish journalists who reported the protests.

The president of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has many strong supporters, has condemned demonstrations as “street terrorism” and accused protesters of attacking the police and damaging public property.

He said that the “show” of the opposition eventually faded.

Ozel spoke with the BBC recently out of a visit to Silivri’s prison, a high security campus on the outskirts of Istanbul where Imamoglu is being carried out.

“It is in solitary confinement, but it is in good condition and has not been mistreated so far,” he told us.

Ozel said the case of corruption against the mayor of Istanbul was “a scam designed to discredit it.”

As an example, he cited accusations that Imamoglu bought land at a low price, and the low purchase price may have been a bribe. “The truth was that small payment was just the deposit of the land,” he said.

Imamoglu denies all the charges against him, including “establishing a criminal organization, taking bribes, extorting and manipulating a public tender.”

He says his arrest was a coup d’etat. Turkish officials say the courts here are independent. Human rights organizations dispute it strongly.

Ozel said Imamoglu was arrested for a simple reason: to prevent it from becoming the next president of Türkiye. Opinion surveys suggest that the mayor could do it, if not behind bars.

“Erdogan has thrown a three -time winner of the elections in jail … in front of everyone,” said Ozel.

“Suddenly, he is imprisoning someone who is fighting him in a normal political way. It’s as if your rival came and cut the ball into a football game, because you are winning.”

The opposition party believes that the response of Turkish society and the international community will be key to decide if Imamoglu remains behind bars.

But Ozel said the CHP felt “abandoned” by the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his party.

“While all of Europe is reacting, the English Labor Party and the Starmer have not said anything. The cradle of democracy, England, and our brother party, the Labor Party, how can they remain silent? We are really injured.”

A few hours before that comment on Tuesday, Starmer’s spokesman said there was “a ongoing Turkish legal process” and the United Kingdom “expects Turkey to defend the rule of law.”

If the mayor is not released, the CHP plans to continue fighting for the presidency.

“If they keep Ekrem Imamogu locked up and hinder their candidacy,” said Ozel, “any ChP member can be a candidate and be chosen with 65% to 70%.”