A Turkish court on Monday ordered the arrest of 19-year-old Bilge Kağan Şarbat, head of the youth branch of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in İstanbul’s Kadıköy district, for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by chanting slogans during a protest over minimum wage increases, the Medyascope news website reported.
Şarbat was taken into custody on Sunday evening and brought before the İstanbul Anadolu 7th Criminal Magistrate of Peace, which ordered his arrest on grounds of alleged flight risk.
CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the arrest, saying Şarbat was jailed for defending workers’ rights. He added that young people would continue to resist but would never surrender.
Turkey has raised its monthly minimum wage by 27 percent for 2026, falling short of inflation expectations, setting net pay at 28,075 lira ($655). Trade unions and opposition parties criticized the increase, and widespread anger on social media and street protests were reported across the country.
The CHP has faced a series of prosecutions criticized as politically motivated and the seizure of some of its municipalities through trustee appointments following its sweeping 2024 local election victory.
The pressure on the CHP and its municipalities has intensified since the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a senior member of the CHP considered to be the strongest political rival of President Erdoğan. He was detained on March 19 along with dozens of İstanbul city officials and was named his party’s presidential candidate in March for the next general election scheduled for 2028.
İmamoğlu is accused of running what prosecutors call a “criminal organization” within the municipality. He has denied the accusations and says they are politically motivated.
