Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
Ankara, Mar 29: Turkish police have arrested thousands in response to widespread demonstrations following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a potential contender in future elections. Reports emerging from local media allege that many detainees, including journalists and activists, have been subjected to severe physical abuse, sexual harassment, and degrading treatment.
More than 1,800 individuals have been taken into custody, with lawyers representing the detainees exposing harrowing accounts of mistreatment inside detention facilities.
One of the most shocking allegations comes from a young woman detained in Istanbul’s Sarachane neighborhood. In her official testimony, she described being dragged by her hair, beaten, and groped by a male officer. Overcome with fear and humiliation, she lost control of her bladder during the ordeal.
Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Sezgin Tanrikulu confirmed that these details were recorded in interrogation reports presented to the Penal Court of Peace. “I have the police statement in hand. A young female student has clearly described how she was harassed and mistreated. Yet, the judiciary has remained silent,” he stated in a social media post.
The Istanbul Bar Association has collected numerous testimonies pointing to a broader pattern of brutality. Attorney Halil Enes Kavak, speaking to Turkish newspaper Sozcu, detailed the extent of police violence. “None of the detained youth were without visible injuries. Many had been kicked, punched, or struck with helmets. Some weren’t even part of the protests—these were arbitrary arrests,” he said.
Kavak further revealed that detainees were held in overcrowded, airless cells, some confined to underground levels while still covered in pepper spray from the protests. “They remained there for four days in suffocating conditions. This was not just detention—it was punishment,” he added.
The Women’s Assembly of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) condemned the reported sexual and physical violence against female detainees, calling it a direct reflection of the authoritarian and sexist policies of the Turkish state.
Meanwhile, Mehmet Pehlivan, the lawyer representing Mayor Imamoglu, was briefly detained before being released under judicial supervision. Imamoglu had publicly called for his lawyer’s release, denouncing the charges as fabricated. “As if the coup against democracy wasn’t enough, now they can’t even tolerate lawyers defending their clients,” Imamoglu said in a statement.
Pehlivan denied all allegations, accusing prosecutors of building cases on false reports and baseless witness testimonies.
The crackdown has also extended to the press, with several journalists arrested and media outlets penalized for covering the demonstrations. In response, the Turkish Journalists' Union issued a statement demanding that press freedom be upheld amid growing government restrictions.
Imamoglu’s arrest has ignited nationwide protests, as he remains a formidable political figure seen by many as the only leader capable of defeating Erdogan in future elections. With tensions escalating, the government’s handling of the situation is drawing sharp criticism both domestically and internationally.