The Weekly Turkey Report: 4th Week of March.
The arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor and Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) official presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked massive unrest across Turkey, especially among the youth and the opposition, whose anger shows no signs of waning.
Traditionally, Turkish citizens have preferred to express their dissatisfaction at the ballot box rather than through street protests. However, this time, the widespread decision to take to the streets and engage in boycotts suggests that the breaking point may have been reached. President Erdoğan’s government, known for its aversion to public protests, has responded with force, intensifying the chaos. Reports of torture inflicted on detained youth further indicate that tensions are unlikely to subside soon.
Under public pressure—especially from younger generations—the CHP leadership agreed to take to the streets and held a massive rally in Istanbul’s Maltepe district on Saturday. Despite it being the eve of a national holiday and the government extending the holiday break to nine days, millions gathered in the square. Official estimates place attendance at 2.2 million. However, the pro-government media chose not to cover the rally, either on air or in print, sparking renewed calls for boycotts. CHP leader Özgür Özel extended his boycott list—originally targeting Demirören (Hürriyet, CNN Türk), Turkuaz (ATV News, Sabah), and İhlas (TGRT, Türkiye Gazetesi)—to include the Doğuş Group, which owns NTV and operates businesses across restaurants, automotive distribution, and services catering to Turkey’s urban middle class. A successful boycott campaign could further strain these financially troubled conglomerates.
Journalists covering the protests have also come under pressure. Earlier in the week, seven reporters working for various news agencies and outlets were detained. They were released only after mounting public backlash.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed penalties on independent broadcasters such as Sözcü TV, Halk TV, Tele 1, and NOW for airing live coverage of the protests and the CHP-organized rallies following İmamoğlu’s arrest. RTÜK also ordered a 72-hour access ban for popular YouTube channels like Fatih Altaylı’s and Flu TV, citing lack of licensing. Furthermore, Halk TV received its second suspension in a week—a step just before license revocation. Sözcü TV was ordered off-air for 10 days.
The crackdown has extended to foreign journalists as well. BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported, and Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC reported that its foreign correspondent Joakim Medin was detained and jailed in Turkey. European nations, currently in tense relations with the U.S. and reliant on Turkish cooperation for regional security and migration management, have largely remained silent.
Meanwhile, peace talks with the Kurds remain a topic of speculation. While rumors suggest Ankara may have reached a ceasefire agreement with the Rojava Administration—considered a PKK affiliate by Turkey—clashes with PKK leadership based in Qandil persist. Over 2,000 people have been detained across the country, and nearly 300 have been arrested and sent to prison.
CHP staged its largest protest yet in Maltepe, building on the momentum of ongoing nationwide demonstrations that began in Istanbul’s Saraçhane Square. From his cell in Silivri Prison, İmamoğlu addressed the crowd via a video generated with AI visuals and voice, saying:
“They’re trying to subjugate our people. They will not succeed—never! This nation has never bowed to foreign powers; why would it submit to those running from the ballot box? These prison bars mean nothing to me, because I’ve committed no crime. I’m proud—not ashamed—of what I’ve accomplished as mayor. I’ve emerged unscathed from 48 administrative and 51 personal investigations. Let them be the ones to explain themselves in this sham case!”
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel visited İmamoğlu in Silivri, calling the arrest a “civilian coup attempt” thwarted by the will of the people:
“On March 19, a coup attempt was stopped by millions taking to the streets. We will not exchange holiday greetings with the AKP this year. President Erdoğan is in for a surprise this holiday. We’re not stopping—we will continue to surprise, grow stronger, and instill fear.”
Meanwhile, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chaiman Özgür Çelik revealed that police have been instructed to remove posters and banners of İmamoğlu and other detained CHP mayors from district offices. Pressure on the party continues to mount: Deputy Chairman Özgür Karabat and Disciplinary Board Chairman Turan Taşkın have also been implicated in the municipal investigation.
Amid allegations of corruption during the party congress in which Özel was elected, rumors of a potential government-appointed trustee (kayyım) surfaced. In response, the CHP’s Party Council, led by Özel, approved an Extraordinary Congress scheduled for April 6. The Council also officially ratified İmamoğlu’s presidential candidacy after he secured 15.5 million votes in a primary held on the day of his arrest. Özel launched a nationwide petition campaign starting from İmamoğlu’s hometown in Trabzon.
As part of the ongoing financial crimes investigation targeting İmamoğlu and 100 others, the assets of 14 individuals and affiliated companies have been frozen. The companies involved include:
- BVA Reklam ve Danışmanlık Hizmetleri A.Ş.
- SMO Reklam ve Danışmanlık Hizmetleri A.Ş.
- Vizyonkent Reklam Pazarlama A.Ş.
- Kentvizyon Medya İletişim Pazarlama A.Ş.
- Mecra Reklam ve Turizm Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş.
- Urbanmedia Reklam ve İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş.
- Panoffect Medya A.Ş.
- Genç Popülist Medya Planlama Organizasyon Ticaret A.Ş.
- MSO Reklam ve Danışmanlık Hizmetleri A.Ş.
- Sim Medya A.Ş.
- Sev Açık Hava Reklamcılık Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti.
- Vesa Events Organizasyon Ticaret Ltd. Şti.
Separately, during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent visit to Washington, a minor diplomatic crisis emerged. Following his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the official U.S. statement emphasized the situation in Syria. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Rubio had expressed concern over the recent arrests and protests in Turkey. Although Turkish sources anonymously denied this to the Anadolu Agency, Rubio publicly confirmed that he had raised the issue.
On the final day of the week, President Erdoğan reiterated his call for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disband and disarm, warning that “our patience is wearing thin.” In response, PKK executive Bese Hozat accused the Turkish state of reneging on promises made during the week Abdullah Öcalan reportedly called for disarmament. Hozat stated that Öcalan must be allowed to meet with representatives from all sectors of society, including Qandil, before any organizational decisions can be made, asserting that “the PKK cannot dissolve without Öcalan.”
