Istanbul, March 24 (NationPress) Turkish security forces have apprehended over 1100 individuals, including numerous journalists, as protests against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a potential candidate for the presidential elections, have intensified in the historic city over the last five days.

The authorities in Istanbul announced on Monday that they would impose restrictions on both entry and exit from the province amidst the ongoing protests that ignited following Imamoglu's detention on March 19.

Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya highlighted that under Article 34 of the Constitution, "everyone has the right to organize unarmed and non-aggressive meetings and demonstrations without prior permission," but this right is "restricted by law for reasons of national security, public order, crime prevention, protection of public health and morality, or the rights and freedoms of others."

The recent protests have escalated beyond peaceful demonstrations, with certain factions misusing this right to disrupt public order and confront law enforcement, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

"We urge our citizens to remain vigilant against such provocations and to respond with common sense," he remarked.

The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Imamoglu is facing allegations of "bribery, corruption, qualified fraud, illegally obtaining personal data for profit, and tender tampering." He has been under police interrogation at the Istanbul Police Headquarters since his detention, linked to two investigations regarding terrorism and corruption.

The Turkish government has temporarily suspended Imamoglu from his duties as Mayor after an Istanbul court's formal decision to arrest him on Sunday, pending the outcome of his trial concerning corruption charges.

Imamoglu was re-elected for a second term as the Mayor of Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, after a significant victory in the local elections held in 2024, defeating his opponent Murat Kurum, a candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party.

The popular 53-year-old is widely perceived as the only politician capable of defeating Turkey’s long-standing leader Erdogan in an election. Within just a few days, he transitioned from being the Mayor of Istanbul to facing arrest, interrogation, imprisonment, and removal from his Mayor duties due to a graft and terrorism investigation.

In response, tens of thousands of Turks have taken to the streets across Turkey in mostly peaceful demonstrations. Authorities attempted to suppress the protests with a four-day ban on all gatherings in Istanbul, which was subsequently expanded to Ankara and Izmir as the demonstrations spread.