Turkish prosecutors have requested the pretrial detention of 206 people including protestors, journalists and others taken into custody in İstanbul since the detention and subsequent arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Turkish Minute reported.
A Turkish court formally placed İmamoğlu under arrest on Sunday as part of a corruption investigation, after a fourth night of mass protests sparked violent clashes with riot police.
The mayors of the Şişli and Beylikdüzü districts in İstanbul were also arrested on Sunday on terrorism or corruption charges.
The three mayors were removed from office by the Interior Ministry.
İmamoğlu is widely seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strongest potential political challenger. His arrest has sparked nights of street protests on a scale unseen in Turkey since 2013.
A statement from the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Tuesday that 206 detainees have been referred to court for arrest.
Among them were some journalists and local politicians.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Monday that police have detained more than 1,133 people who have taken part in the protests since İmamoğlu’s detention last week.
The demonstrations, which began in İstanbul after İmamoğlu’s detention, have since spread to more than 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, sparking clashes with riot police and drawing international condemnation.
Meanwhile, Yerlikaya announced additional detentions on Monday evening, saying police had detained 43 more protesters in İstanbul for allegedly swearing at Erdoğan and his family over the arrest of İmamoğlu.
Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), who addressed protesters in front of İstanbul City Hall in Saraçhane on Monday evening, condemned the foul language directed at Erdoğan and his family.
Turkey braced for another day of unrest on Tuesday over the arrest of İmamoğlu.
The unrest has continued despite a ban on protests in Turkey’s three biggest cities, with the prohibition in Ankara and İzmir extended until April 1 and March 30, respectively, governor’s offices announced on Tuesday.
