Ekrem Imamoglu gave his first message from prison, with his supporters responding to his pretrial detention with record participation in the Republican People's Party presidential primary elections.
"The ballot boxes will be set up and the nation will give this government an unforgettable slap in the face. Tens of millions of people who were hurt by the government's tyranny ran to the polls and said 'enough is enough' to Erdogan," Imamoglu stressed, referring either to the presidential elections expected in 2028 or to early ones by another interpretation.
It should be noted that yesterday, 15 million opposition voters anointed Ekrem Imamoglu as the presidential candidate on the day of his pre-trial detention and ouster.
Imamoglu: "The nation will give the Erdogan government an unforgettable slap"
"I would like to share with you a piece of news from Silivri Prison that made me very happy. There was a record turnout in the presidential primary elections of our Republican People's Party. 15 million of our citizens voted. Tens of millions of people of this country, hurt by the tyranny of the government, the ruined economy, the meritocracy and lawlessness, ran to the polls and said 'enough is enough' to Erdogan. I send my greetings to the millions who shouted tonight in Saraçhane and in the squares all over my country. These polls will be set up and the nation will give this government an unforgettable slap," is the entire message of Imamoglu.
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavas said after the conclusion of yesterday's intra-party voting in the Republican People's Party (CHP) that around 20 million people went to a polling station. "The time for early elections has already passed," he announced.
CHP Chairman: Boycott those who ignore this square
The leader of the Republican People's Party said on Sunday at the crowded protest rally in front of Istanbul City Hall that more than 14.850.000 citizens across the country came to the polls to express their support for Ekrem Imamoglu.
Ozgur Ozel called on supporters of the jailed mayor of Istanbul to boycott products advertised in pro-government media. “When you do something illegal, the reaction is very big. Because tripping up your opponent is not democratic,” he complained, adding: “The state media gets fifty percent of their advertising from us. They sell us the products, but they serve the palace. Boycott those who ignore this square. The good days are over, my love. Either you see us or you see the bottom.”
Ozgur Ozel said he would announce the brands one by one "in order for consumers to show their strength."
Mass protests continue in Turkey
At the same time, the demonstrations continue for another night with incidents and chemical weapons from the Police.
Images from the events on Sunday night went around the world.
Since last Wednesday, the wave of protests sparked by Imamoglu's arrest has spread across Turkey, reaching an unprecedented scale since the great Gezi protests of 2013, which began in Istanbul's Taksim Square.
Demonstrations took place in at least 55 of Turkey's 81 provinces, or more than a third of the country, according to an AFP count.
The protests led to hundreds of arrests in at least nine cities, according to authorities.
In an effort to prevent riots, the Istanbul governorate extended the ban on gatherings until Wednesday evening and announced restrictions on entry into the city for people considered likely to participate in gatherings, without specifying exactly how the measures would be implemented.
Turkey: 700 accounts closed in X
Protests are now massive and daily in Istanbul, following the arrest and pretrial detention of Ekrem Imamoglu.
Turkish authorities have ordered the closure of more than 700 accounts on X, according to Elon Musk’s online platform. “We oppose multiple court orders from the Turkish Information and Communications Technology Authority to block more than 700 accounts of news organizations, journalists, politicians, students and others within Turkey. We believe that this decision by the Turkish government is not only illegal, but also blocks millions of Turkish users from news and political discourse in their country. We look forward to defending these principles through the legal system,” the X platform announced.
“We oppose multiple court orders from the Turkish Information and Communications Technologies Authority to block more than 700 accounts of news organizations, journalists, politicians, students and others within Turkey,” added the H.E. communications team.
Istanbul: Deputy mayor to be elected on Wednesday
The Istanbul city council will elect a deputy mayor on Wednesday, the government announced.
“We will continue to struggle,” Ercan Basal, a 53-year-old psychologist, said in Ankara, calling on the government to “correct this mistake.”
Responding to the protests, President Erdogan, who was himself mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s, said he would not give in to “street terror,” while Paris and Berlin, as well as the mayors of many other major European cities, condemned the arrest of E. Imamoglu this week.
Ekrem Imamoglu became the black sheep for Erdogan by winning the Istanbul municipality in 2019 from the head of state's Islamic-conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), which had held the reins of this metropolis with his camp for 25 years.
Turkish lira plummets - Financial circles are worried
There is anxiety in Turkey about how the markets will react today as the Turkish lira has been sliding since Wednesday with the exchange rate against the euro and the dollar "plunging" and losing up to 8% on the first day, resulting in the intervention of the Central Bank.
Following the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkish markets were in turmoil, with the Central Bank pumping in $12 billion on the first day. The exchange rate surge was prevented by selling an additional $14 billion on Thursday and Friday, bringing the total sales over three days to $26 billion.
The statement issued by the Turkish Banks Association states that "during the meeting chaired by the Central Bank, it was noted that all available tools will continue to be used effectively to maintain stability."
Source: iefimerida.gr
