Turkey Detains Journalists Amid Protests Over Mayor’s Arrest

ISTANBUL, March 24, 2025, 03:38 AM PDT – Chaos grips Turkey tonight. Turkish authorities detained nine journalists hours ago, slamming them into custody for covering wild protests that exploded across cities overnight. The spark? The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a fierce rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on corruption charges. Streets burn with anger as demonstrators clash with riot police, and media workers’ unions scream foul. This is no quiet Monday morning—Turkey’s on edge, and the world’s watching.

At 8:59 AM local time (01:59 AM PDT), the Journalists Union of Turkey dropped a bombshell: nine reporters, including an Agence France Presse (AFP) photographer, got nabbed while documenting the unrest. The protests kicked off late Sunday, March 23, after a court jailed Imamoglu pending trial. By midnight, Istanbul’s Sarachane district—a stone’s throw from City Hall—turned into a battleground. Witnesses reported tear gas choking the air, rubber bullets flying, and cops dragging people off the pavement.

Flashpoint: Imamoglu’s Arrest Ignites Fury

It started Sunday at 5:13 PM local time (10:13 AM PDT). A Turkish court slapped cuffs on Imamoglu, Erdogan’s top political foe, and shipped him to Silivri prison, 50 miles west of Istanbul. The charges? Corruption—bribery, extortion, and running a criminal outfit. He denies it all, calling it a “political hit job.” The Republican People’s Party (CHP), Imamoglu’s crew, agrees. They say it’s Erdogan flexing muscle to crush a threat before the 2028 presidential race.

Protests hit hard and fast. By 7:00 PM Sunday, over 100,000 flooded Istanbul’s streets, per Reuters estimates. Ankara saw 50,000 more, waving Turkish flags and chanting against Erdogan. Izmir joined in, too—20,000 strong. Five nights running now, despite nationwide bans on gatherings. Sunday’s count: 323 detained, says Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. No deaths yet, but bruises and blood mark the pavement.

Journalists Caught in the Crossfire

Then came the crackdown on the press. At 6:00 AM local time today (11:00 PM PDT Sunday), police raided homes across Istanbul. Nine journalists—names still trickling out—got hauled away. The Journalists Union blasted it on X: “You can’t hide the truth by silencing us!” One’s an AFP staffer, caught snapping pics of the Sarachane chaos. No official word from cops yet, but the union’s livid, demanding releases now.

This isn’t random. These reporters covered the protests—live, raw, unfiltered. They showed riot cops blasting water cannons in Ankara at 9:30 PM Sunday, per AP footage. They caught flares lighting up Istanbul’s sky at 11:15 PM. Now, they’re locked up, and media workers’ unions are raging. “This is war on free press,” one union rep told Reuters. France’s Foreign Ministry chimed in at 2:00 PM Sunday PDT, calling Imamoglu’s jailing “a serious attack on democracy.” Germany’s on board, too—labeled it “a setback” at 3:00 PM.

Streets Alive with Defiance

Istanbul’s a powder keg. At 1:00 AM local time (4:00 PM PDT Sunday), protesters tried marching to Taksim Square. Police shut it down—pepper spray and batons. Witnesses saw a guy in a Turkish flag cape take a rubber bullet to the chest. He’s alive, but hurting. Ankara’s no better—water cannons soaked crowds at 2:30 AM. Izmir’s demos hit 10,000 by 3:00 AM, says BBC, with cops firing tear gas near the coast.

The numbers pile up. Over 300 detained Saturday night alone, per NPR. Sunday’s tally’s still climbing—could hit 500 by dawn. No fatalities, but medics report dozens treated for gas inhalation and cuts. “It’s like 2013 again,” one Istanbul local told AP, referencing the Gezi Park riots. Back then, millions rose up. Now, it’s the biggest unrest in a decade.

Erdogan’s Shadow Looms Large

Erdogan’s not blinking. At 1:00 PM Sunday PDT, he warned via state TV: “We won’t tolerate street terrorism.” His government insists the courts are independent, brushing off claims of a political purge. But the timing’s brutal. Imamoglu’s a rock star—won Istanbul in 2019, snatching it from Erdogan’s party after 25 years. He won again last year, humiliating the Justice and Development Party. Polls show him neck-and-neck with Erdogan for 2028.

The CHP’s fighting back. Leader Ozgur Ozel spoke at Sarachane at 8:00 PM Sunday: “We’ll protest till he’s free.” Over 1.7 million CHP members voted in a symbolic primary Sunday, backing Imamoglu as their presidential pick—right as he sat in a cell. “This is a coup,” Ozel yelled to the crowd. Demonstrators cheered, then dodged tear gas 30 minutes later.

Press Under Siege

The journalist detentions cut deep. Turkey’s no stranger to jailing reporters—ranks 157th out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index, per Reuters. But this feels personal. The nine nabbed today were on the front lines, showing the world Turkey’s turmoil. “They want us blind,” a union rep told The Star at 9:00 AM local time. AFP’s photographer was mid-snap when cops grabbed him—gear confiscated, per union posts on X.

Media workers’ unions aren’t backing down. At 10:00 AM local time, they rallied outside Istanbul’s police HQ, demanding the nine walk free. Cops pushed back—20 union folks detained briefly, released by noon. “This is about control,” a union source told Business Standard. Erdogan’s government hasn’t commented, but the silence screams.

Global Eyes Turn to Turkey

The world’s reacting. At 4:00 PM PDT Sunday, France’s Foreign Ministry slammed the arrests. Germany followed at 5:00 PM, urging Turkey to “respect democracy.” Even the U.S. blinked—State Department’s watching, says AP, though no official statement yet. Markets feel it, too. The Turkish lira tanked 8% by Sunday close, per Reuters, as investors freak over instability.

Protests aren’t slowing. At 3:00 AM local time today (6:00 PM PDT Sunday), Istanbul’s streets still buzzed. Ankara’s demos hit Kizilay Square—5,000 strong. Izmir’s coastal march grew to 15,000. Bans be damned, people keep coming. “We’re not scared,” one protester told BBC, face masked against gas. “This is our fight.”

What It Means Now

This isn’t just noise—it’s a tipping point. Imamoglu’s arrest could cripple the CHP’s momentum, but it’s also lighting a fire under Erdogan’s critics. The 323 detained Saturday, plus today’s 9 journalists, signal a clampdown that’s backfiring. Protests in 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, per AFP, show this isn’t Istanbul’s fight alone—it’s nationwide.

The press crackdown’s a gut punch. Nine journalists gone in a blink—Turkey’s telling the world it’ll control the story. But the unions and global outcry say otherwise. Markets crashing, lira diving—Erdogan’s gamble’s rattling the economy. If protests hold, this could rival 2013’s Gezi unrest. If they fizzle, Erdogan wins. Either way, Turkey’s democracy’s on the line, and it’s 03:38 AM PDT, March 24, 2025. The clock’s ticking.

Stay sharp with OngoingNow.