France expresses concern over İmamoğlu's arrest; protests erupt across Turkey; wife Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu joins Istanbul demonstration

France expresses concern over İmamoğlu's arrest; protests erupt across Turkey; wife Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu joins Istanbul demonstration

On Sunday night, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing concern over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The statement read:
"The manner in which İmamoğlu and his associates have been arrested is an attack on democracy."
The statement further noted that President Erdoğan has been ruling Turkey for the past 20 years and had pledged to respect opposition voices, but in reality, he has failed to do so.

France emphasized that as a key member of the European Union, it believes that opposition politics are one of the fundamental pillars of democracy. Only by respecting this principle can Turkey maintain a stable relationship with the European Union.

Anti-Erdoğan symbolic vote
Supporters of İmamoğlu organized a symbolic vote across the country. Ballot boxes were placed in different cities, and even those who are not supporters of the opposition CHP party were encouraged to participate in this symbolic election. According to CHP sources, around 15 million people took part in this symbolic vote. In some areas, there was such a large turnout that voting hours had to be extended by three and a half hours.

Out of these 15 million participants, approximately 13 million people reportedly voted in favor of İmamoğlu.

İmamoğlu was first elected mayor in 2019 and was re-elected last year. After learning the results of the symbolic vote, he wrote from prison on his X (formerly Twitter) handle:
"The people of this country have sent a message to Erdoğan: enough is enough."

Arrest and protests
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, was arrested on charges of corruption. Initially detained, he was later sent to Marmara Prison following a court order. His arrest sparked widespread protests not only in Istanbul but also in various cities across Turkey. Thousands of people took to the streets, and the protests continued for several days.

On Sunday, İmamoğlu's wife, Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu, joined the protest in Istanbul and addressed thousands of people. She said, "Erdoğan’s time is over. Now he will lose." She claimed that Ekrem İmamoğlu was wrongfully arrested and that the people of Turkey are being treated unjustly. She directly held Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responsible for this injustice.