Ali Yerlikaya stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, March 25, that these individuals were arrested on charges of engaging in illegal activities between March 19 and March 23 of this year.
Turkey’s Minister of Interior added that among the detainees, individuals affiliated with 12 terrorist organizations have been identified.
Ali Yerlikaya clarified that during the protests, 123 police officers in the country were injured.
He emphasized that acid, stones, sticks, incendiary materials, Molotov cocktails, axes, and knives were confiscated from the protesters.
The Turkish Interior Minister accused the protesters of violating Turkey’s assembly laws, damaging public property, and disrupting public order, stating that police actions against them will continue.
According to reports, on Wednesday, March 19, Turkish police arrested Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and a political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on charges of “corruption and aiding a terrorist group.”
A Turkish court has approved his arrest, and based on this ruling, İmamoğlu will remain in prison.
Ekrem İmamoğlu has denied the allegations against him, calling them “politically motivated.”
İmamoğlu is considered the main rival of current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the country’s 2028 presidential elections.
Following İmamoğlu’s arrest, Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) announced him as its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
