Turkish Crackdown on Journalists Amid Protests Over Istanbul Mayor's Arrest

Several journalists in Turkiye were detained as protests erupted over the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Detentions were part of a broader crackdown following the mayor's imprisonment, which many perceive as politically motivated. The unrest highlights concerns about democracy and press freedoms in Turkiye.

In a recent crackdown, Turkish authorities detained multiple journalists from their homes, according to a statement by a media workers' union. This move comes amid growing protests following the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a significant political figure and rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The detentions occurred after Mayor Imamoglu was formally arrested and incarcerated pending a trial on corruption charges. His arrest sparked the largest protest wave in Turkiye in over a decade, raising alarms over the state of democracy and rule of law in the country.

Authorities stated that over a thousand individuals have been detained since the protests began, linking some to terrorist organizations. The backlash underscores ongoing tensions between government actions and public perceptions of press freedom and democratic rights in Turkiye.

(With inputs from agencies.)