Turkey Rocked by Protests Over Istanbul Mayor’s Jailing

Protests have erupted across Turkey after Istanbul’s mayor was jailed, marking the biggest opposition movement in a decade despite mass arrests and clashes with police.

President Tayyip Erdogan dismissed the demonstrations on Monday, calling them a "show" that would fade.

Since last Wednesday, authorities have detained 1,418 protesters, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. The government has labeled the six days of protests “illegal.”

Following Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s arrest last week, hundreds of thousands have rallied in streets, squares, and campuses each evening.

The protesters chant anti-Erdogan slogans, demanding Imamoglu’s release, justice, and rights. A court jailed him on Sunday, pending trial for corruption charges he denies.

On Tuesday, a Turkish court placed seven journalists in custody, including an AFP photojournalist, after they covered the protests in Istanbul.