Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the opposition political parties to cause a “movement of violence” as protests in the country continue for the sixth night.
The unrest started in Istanbul last Wednesday when the Mayor of the City of Ekrem Imamoglu, Chief Presidential rival Erdogan, was detained for charges of corruption.
Thousands of people gathered once more on Monday. The unrest escalated Sunday night, and protesters fired on tear gas and rubber bullets.
Imamglu, also suspended from his place as mayor, said the charges against him were politically motivated, which Erdogan denied.
A large number of riot police followed protesters around the Istanbul City Hall on Monday night, while crowds sang and waved Turkish flags.
Water rifle vehicles were also seen nearby, although the protests seemed to be mostly calm, without repeating the fierce conflicts seen on Sunday.
In the numbers published before the gathering on Monday night, the Turkish government announced that 1,133 people had been arrested since the protests began.
In a earlier television statement, Erdogan marked “evil” demonstrations and blamed the opposition political parties for “disturbing peace of our citizens with provocations.”
Speaking from Ankara, the capital of Turkey, he called for protests to end and said that “instead of responding to the allegations of the” opposition parties “made the most terrible and unlawful statements in our political history for [the last] five days. “
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel spoke with thousands of gathered on Monday night. AFP reported that he told the audience that demonstration was “the act of defiance fascism.”
Although he was in custody, Imamoglu was confirmed on Monday as a candidate for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) for the 2028 Turkish Presidential Election. The vote that confirmed his candidacy was symbolic because he was the only person who ran.
He spent on Sunday night in prison after being officially arrested and charged with “establishing and managing a criminal organization, taking bribe, extortion, illegal recording of personal information and setting up tenders” on Sunday night.
In a post on X over the weekend, Imamoglu said he “would never worship” and criticize his arrest as “a black stain on our democracy.”
He also sent greetings to those who protested and said that the voters showed that Turkey was “enough” enough Erdogan.
The demonstrations seen in recent days are the largest in Turkey since the 2013 Protests, which began in Istanbul for the demolition of a local park.
They were largely calm, but on Sunday, police fired water cannons and used a spray spray while the conflicts took place.
Dilek Kaya Imamglu, his wife Imamoglu, was also outside the Istanbul City Hall and said to the demonstrants that the “injustice” he had “hit the chord with every conscience”.
Imamglu was one of more than 100 people detained last week as part of an investigation. The other arrested were politicians, journalists and businessmen.
His arrest does not prevent his candidacy or election as president, but he will not be able to run if he is convicted of any of his charges against him.
A closed politician is considered to be one of Erdogan’s most solemn rivals, who has held his duty in Turkey for 22 years and as a prime minister and president.
However, due to the term of office, Erdogan cannot be re -run in 2028, unless it changes the Constitution.
The Turkish Ministry of Justice criticized those who connect Erdogan with arrests and insisted on his judicial independence.
