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Large crowds rally in Istanbul over jailing of Erdogan's main rival
Reuters. ^ | March 29, 2025 | Can Sezer and Emilie Madi

Posted on 04/01/2025 6:06:29 PM PDT by george76

Istanbul mayor's arrest has triggered mass demonstrations..

Imamoglu was expected to challenge Erdogan in next election..

Biggest protests in more than a decade have hit markets..

ISTANBUL, - Hundreds of thousands of Turks protested in Istanbul on Saturday against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, sustaining the largest demonstrations Turkey has seen in more than a decade.

A letter from Imamoglu was read out at the rally to cheers from the crowd. "I have no fear, you are behind me and by my side. I have no fear because the nation is united. The nation is united against the oppressor,"

...

"They can put me in jail and try me as much as they want, the nation has shown that it will crush all traps and plots."

Hundreds of thousands of Turks nationwide have heeded opposition calls to protest 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 some 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.

'JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED'..

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organised by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: erdogan; istanbul; lawfare

1 posted on 04/01/2025 6:06:29 PM PDT by george76
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To: george76

President E-Dog may have gone too far, this time.


2 posted on 04/01/2025 6:08:52 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: george76

They need to go Ceausescu on Erdogan’s ass.


3 posted on 04/01/2025 6:08:57 PM PDT by montag813
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To: george76

Seems kangaroo courts and black robe tryants are all the rage this year with the globalist elite.


4 posted on 04/01/2025 6:10:09 PM PDT by Skwor
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To: george76
Erdogan survived a coup attempt and a re-election and he probably thought he was invulnerable.

Jailing his main political rival was a risky move by him and could lead to his downfall, but he probably thought: if they can do it in Brazil, Rumania, and France, why can't I do it here?

5 posted on 04/01/2025 6:13:36 PM PDT by Right_Wing_Madman
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To: Right_Wing_Madman; M Kehoe

Jailing his main political rival was a risky move by him and could lead to his downfall, but he probably thought: if they can do it in Brazil, Rumania, and France, why can’t I do it here?

Biden tried it here. To jail or bump off his rival, Donald J. Trump. He failed miserably.


6 posted on 04/01/2025 6:20:08 PM PDT by flaglady47 (TRUMP #47, then Vance #48)
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To: montag813

*They need to go Ceausescu on Erdogan’s ass.*

Some of these leaders need to learn manners the hard way.


7 posted on 04/01/2025 6:36:49 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: flaglady47
Biden tried it here. To jail or bump off his rival, Donald J. Trump. He failed miserably.

We were lucky that Joe Biden was incompetent. Yes, he was a puppet. But who was handling him?

8 posted on 04/01/2025 6:40:33 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: george76
It would be a shame if they Ceaușescued Erdogan.
9 posted on 04/01/2025 6:41:28 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
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To: lee martell

Erdogan intends to be Caliph of the Neo-Ottoman empire.
He’s already got his hands in Syria.
He wants no one getting in his way.


10 posted on 04/01/2025 6:45:45 PM PDT by doc maverick
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To: flaglady47

(DEMOCRAT Biden tried it here. To jail or bump off his rival, Donald J. Trump. He failed miserably.)

YEP


11 posted on 04/01/2025 7:02:03 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Yes, he was a puppet. But who was handling him?

Do you really have to ask? Did you just come out of a 20 year coma? Seriously?


12 posted on 04/01/2025 7:29:05 PM PDT by waterhill (Nobody cares, work harder!)
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To: waterhill
Yes. There is only one correct answer.


13 posted on 04/01/2025 9:00:07 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: george76

Romanian opposition leader banned
Brazilian opposition leader banned
French opposition leader banned
Ukraine suspended all elections
Germany tries to ban the AFD
America tried to ban Trump

All to “save democracy”


14 posted on 04/01/2025 11:33:33 PM PDT by Mount Athos
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To: george76

No doubt the Yurps will approve. After all, this is exactly what they do to their political rivals - see Romania, France, no doubt Germany next if it looks like the AfD will win, etc.


15 posted on 04/02/2025 3:27:45 AM PDT by FLT-bird
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