Ecrem Imamoglu: Thousands of Turks Protest for Sixth Consecutive Night

The wave of support for Ecrem Imamoglu, the dismissed and imprisoned mayor of Istanbul, continues to grow. Thousands of citizens protested for the sixth consecutive night across Turkey, opposing the detention and removal of the former mayor from office. Responding to Imamoglu’s call not to back down, citizens flooded the main streets of major Turkish cities to voice their dissent. The leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party, Ozgur Ozel, stated he will remain inside the Istanbul municipality until the government ensures no interim appointee is assigned and a replacement mayor is elected by the Municipal Council. Clashes between protesters and police continued throughout the night. On March 25th, Ozgur Ozel is expected to visit Silivri prison to meet with Imamoglu. On Wednesday, March 26th, the governor of Istanbul has called for a Municipal Council meeting to elect a replacement for the 54-year-old Imamoglu, whose degree—a requirement for electoral candidates—has also been annulled.