Turkish crowds protest in support of jailed Erdogan rival one year after arrest

Thousands of Turks gathered in central Istanbul on Wednesday in support of jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu at an opposition rally, one year after President Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival was arrested on corruption charges.



Supporters waving red party banners and Turkish flags gathered at city hall for the rally by Imamoglu’s party, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which has been the target of an unprecedented judicial crackdown since late 2024.



"Rights, law, justice," the crowd chanted as Imamoglu's wife spoke at the rally.



The crackdown on the party is overshadowing Turkish politics ahead of elections expected by many to be held late next year. Imamoglu, the CHP's presidential candidate, is now on trial in a corruption case that could extinguish his ambition of succeeding Erdogan as president.