讀後心得

The leader of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, Özgür Özel, stated today that they will continue to protest against President Erdoğan's detention of his political rival, former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. This wave of demonstrations is the largest in a decade and began after İmamoğlu was arrested on March 19 over corruption charges, prompting widespread solidarity and accusations of government interference in the judiciary. Özel announced that the party will hold protests every weekend in different cities and will launch gatherings in various districts of Istanbul on the 9th. Although the protests have been peaceful, around 2,000 people have been detained. Özel reiterated the demand for early elections, stating that over 7 million people have signed a petition supporting İmamoğlu and early elections.

The leader of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, Özer, stated today that protests will continue in response to President Erdoğan's detention of his primary political rival, former Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu. This marks the largest wave of protests in Turkey in a decade, which is set to continue.

İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 due to corruption allegations, triggering this wave of protests. Demonstrators, various opposition parties, European leaders, and human rights organizations have expressed support for İmamoğlu and claimed that this arrest is a politicized and anti-democratic act. The Erdoğan government has denied any political influence over the judiciary and emphasized the independence of the courts.

In a temporary party congress, Özer reiterated that the Republican People's Party would initiate protests every weekend in different cities, and on the evening of the 9th, gatherings would commence in various districts of Istanbul. Since İmamoğlu's detention, the Republican People's Party has organized large rallies in front of the Istanbul City Hall, and last weekend a significant demonstration was held in Maltepe, Istanbul.

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish citizens have participated in this peaceful protest, including university students from various regions, with opposition calls receiving a broad response. However, nearly 2,000 people have already been detained, with about 300 facing pre-trial detention.

In a speech following his re-election as party chairman, Özer reiterated his call for early elections. The presidential election in Turkey is scheduled for 2028, and if parliament passes a measure for early elections, Erdoğan could run again without term limits. Some polls indicate that İmamoğlu has higher support than Erdoğan.

The Republican People's Party has also launched a symbolic petition drive demanding İmamoğlu's release and the push for early elections. Özer stated that this petition movement has already gathered over 7 million signatures. Additionally, in an internal vote on March 23, İmamoğlu received support from nearly 15 million people, becoming the party's presidential candidate.