Protests began in several Turkish cities on Friday, with citizens rallying against the arrest of Istanbul's mayor and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, despite stern warnings from the Turkish leader against street protests.
Earlier in the day, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party again called on his supporters to take to the streets for peaceful demonstrations against the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu.
Authorities have tightened their ban on protests and condemned the call as irresponsible.
Mayor Imamoglu was detained in an early morning raid on his home on Wednesday on suspicion of corruption and terrorist links, sparking a crackdown on opposition figures and dissidents.
Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also arrested.
The arrest is widely seen as a politically motivated attempt to remove a popular opposition figure and Mr Erdogan's main rival ahead of upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2028.
Government officials have rejected accusations that judicial action against opposition figures is politically motivated, arguing that Turkey's courts operate independently.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
