Türkiye Detains Journalists as Protests Over the Jailing of Key Erdogan Rival Rock the Country 

Turkish anti-riot police officers stand in a could of smoke flares and firecrackers thrown by demonstrators during a rally in support in support of arrested Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
Turkish anti-riot police officers stand in a could of smoke flares and firecrackers thrown by demonstrators during a rally in support in support of arrested Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
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Türkiye Detains Journalists as Protests Over the Jailing of Key Erdogan Rival Rock the Country 

Turkish anti-riot police officers stand in a could of smoke flares and firecrackers thrown by demonstrators during a rally in support in support of arrested Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
Turkish anti-riot police officers stand in a could of smoke flares and firecrackers thrown by demonstrators during a rally in support in support of arrested Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul on March 23, 2025. (AFP)

Turkish authorities detained several journalists from their homes, a media workers’ union reported Monday, in what it said was a crackdown amid escalating protests triggered by the imprisonment of the mayor of Istanbul and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Sunday, a court formally arrested Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and ordered him jailed pending a trial on corruption charges. His detention on Wednesday sparked the largest wave of street demonstrations in Türkiye in more than a decade and deepened concerns over democracy and the rule of law in the country.

In an apparent escalation of the government’s response to the growing protests, the Disk-Basin-Is union said at least eight reporters and photojournalists were detained in what it said was an “attack on press freedoms and the people’s right to learn the truth.”

“You cannot hide the truth by silencing journalists!” the union wrote on the social media platform X, calling for their immediate release.

There was no immediate comment from the authorities concerning the detentions.

The mayor’s imprisonment is widely regarded as a political move to remove a major challenger to Erdogan from the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028. Government officials strongly reject the accusations and insist that Türkiye’s courts operate independently.

Imamoglu was jailed on suspicion of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data and bid-rigging — accusations he has denied. A request for him to be imprisoned on terror-related charges was rejected although he still faces prosecution.

The Interior Ministry later announced that Imamoglu had been suspended from duty as a “temporary measure.” The municipality had previously appointed an acting mayor from its governing council.

The politician was taken to Silivri prison, west of Istanbul, as more than 1.7 million members of his opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, held a primary election, endorsing him as its presidential candidate. Millions of non-members also cast votes in a “solidarity ballot,” the party said.

Alongside Imamoglu, 47 other people were also jailed pending trial, including a key aide and two district mayors from Istanbul, one of whom was replaced with a government appointee. A further 44 suspects were released under judicial control.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Türkiye’s largest city in March 2019, in a major blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century. Erdogan’s party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.

The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu also won.

The mayor retained his seat following local elections last year, during which the CHP made significant gains against Erdogan’s governing party.



Pope Leo Appeals for Israel to Allow Humanitarian Aid in Gaza 

Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
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Pope Leo Appeals for Israel to Allow Humanitarian Aid in Gaza 

Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appealed for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, calling the situation in the Palestinian enclave "yet more worrying and saddening".

"I renew my fervent appeal to allow for the entry of fair humanitarian help and to bring to an end the hostilities, the devastating price of which is paid by children, the elderly and the sick," the pope said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected the leader of the Catholic Church on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis. He has mentioned the situation in Gaza several times in the first weeks of his papacy.

In his first Sunday message on May 11, the new pope called for an immediate ceasefire and for the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Israel said on Monday that it would allow aid to enter Gaza after an 11-week blockade on the enclave, but the United Nations said no help had been distributed as of Tuesday.

Leo's appeal comes a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his government had paused free trade talks with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador to the UK over the situation in Gaza.

Israel says it plans to intensify military operations against Hamas and to control the whole of Gaza, which has been devastated by an Israeli air and ground war since Hamas' cross-border attack on Israeli communities in October 2023.

Israel has said its blockade is aimed in part at preventing Palestinian gunmen from diverting and seizing aid supplies. Hamas has denied doing so.