Large crowds rally in Istanbul to protest against jailing of city’s mayor

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on Saturday to protest against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, sustaining the largest demonstrations Turkiye has seen in more than a decade.

Hundreds of thousands have heeded opposition calls and taken to the streets nationwide since Imamoglu was detained last week and then jailed pending trial on graft charges. Protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups and Western powers have all said the case against Imamoglu is a politicised effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan.

The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.

Tens of thousands of people waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday’s “Freedom for Imamoglu” rally, organised by the CHP.

“If justice is silent, the people will speak,” read one banner held aloft in the crowd.

“The trend of the economy, the trend of justice, law - everything is getting worse. That is why we are here. We say ‘rights, law and justice’ and we are seeking our rights,” said one CHP supporter, who declined to give their name.

Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early election, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the nationwide protests as a “show”, warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop “provoking” Turks.

Since Imamoglu’s detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.

The government has said the impact would be limited and temporary. The bank said the economy’s core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed.

from The Dawn News - Home https://ift.tt/WqgNj4h

Comments

Ministers rubbish notion that proposed retirement age extension to favour ‘one particular institution’

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday rubbished the notion that a proposed extension in the retirement age was to favour “one particular institution”, adding that the move would be implemented across the board if approved. The rebuttal comes in the wake of media reports claiming that the government was mulling changes to the Constitution to fix the tenure of the chief justice . Currently, judges of the Supreme Court, including the chief justice, retire after attaining the age of superannuation, i.e. 65 years, as stipulated in Article 179 of the Constitution. While giving his opinion recently on the reports of the constitutional amendment, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had said he “will not vehemently turn down the proposals related to the tenure of the chief justice”. Addressing the issue during a press conference in Islamabad today along since Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and the law minister, Attaullah said the extension in the retirement age was “a proposal to a...

The Republican primary race for president in 2024

The Republican primary race for president in 2024 is already shaping up to be a competitive one. There are a number of high-profile candidates who have already announced their intention to run, and more are expected to join the field in the coming months. The frontrunner for the nomination is former President Donald Trump. Trump has been teasing a 2024 run for months, and he has a large and loyal following among Republican voters. However, he is also a polarizing figure, and his candidacy could alienate some moderate Republicans. Another potential contender for the nomination is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis has been praised by many conservatives for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his opposition to vaccine mandates. He is also seen as a rising star in the Republican Party. Other potential candidates include former Vice President Mike Pence, former Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Senator Tim Scott. Pence is a more traditional Republican who could appeal to moderate vote...

In pictures: Grief in Gaza and the loss of a child

In the photo, the woman cradles a child in her arms, balanced on her knee. It is an image that resonates, as ancient as human history. But in a grim inversion of the familiar, we see that the child she holds close is a corpse, wrapped in a shroud. It is a quiet moment of intense grief. The woman wears a headscarf and her head is bowed. We cannot see who she is nor can we learn anything about the child — not even if it is a boy or girl. Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embraces the body of her 5-year-old niece Saly, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2023. The child is one of many who have lost their lives on both sides in the Israel-Hamas war. Most have names we will never know, whose deaths will spark a lifetime of grief for family members we will never meet. In the 21st century, an average of almost 20 children a day have been killed or maimed in wars around the world, according to Unicef. Reuter...

Infinity Social Updates

Search This Blog