Turkey Tries Protesters, Journalists After Imamoglu Arrest

On April 18, 2025, nearly 200 people, including students, activists, and journalists, appeared in Istanbul courts facing charges stemming from mass protests after the jailing of opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Imamoglu's arrest on corruption charges, broadly seen as politically motivated, sparked Turkey's largest demonstrations in over a decade. Defendants face allegations such as participating in banned rallies, failing to disperse, and, in some cases, carrying weapons, with potential sentences ranging from several months to five years in prison. Journalists covering the protests are also on trial, though their cases have been separated, with defense lawyers and international rights groups demanding their acquittal on press freedom grounds. Human Rights Watch and the Council of Europe condemned the trials, citing insufficient evidence and warning of threats to free expression and peaceful assembly. Families and supporters have gathered outside the courthouse, calling the trials politically motivated and demanding justice.