Huge protests in Istanbul as mayor appears in court
Newshour
BBC
4.4 • 984 Ratings
🗓️ 22 March 2025
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Thousands of demonstrators in Istanbul have taken to the streets to protest against the arrest of the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. He is one of a number of opposition figures who have been taken into custody in recent days. We speak to one man who has been on the street calling for his release.
Also in the programme: Israel carries out multiple airstrikes in southern Lebanon; how the dismantling of the US Department of Education might affect one mother and her two autistic daughters; and famed boxer George Foreman passes away at the age of 76.
(Photo: Police officers in riot gear stand next to demonstrators during a protest against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, 22nd March, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Murad Sezer)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to NewsHour live from the BBC World Service in London. I'm Rebecca Kesbby. |
| 0:09.9 | There are dramatic scenes in central Istanbul tonight as thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets for a fourth day running following the arrest of the city's mayor, Ekram Imam Olu. |
| 0:22.3 | He's one of a number of opposition figures who've been arrested recently. |
| 0:26.5 | Mr. Imam Olu is from the secular Republican People's Party, the CHP. |
| 0:33.1 | He's been accused of corruption and abetting a terrorist group. |
| 0:37.0 | He says the accusations are politically motivated, baseless and immoral. |
| 0:41.9 | And he had been due to announce his intention to stand for the presidential race |
| 0:46.6 | just as he was arrested on Wednesday. |
| 0:49.0 | There have been demonstrations across the country. |
| 0:51.6 | More than 300 people were arrested last night, |
| 0:54.9 | and the police have been using tear gas on the streets tonight. |
| 1:02.4 | Speaking during an event to break the day's Ramadan fast in Istanbul, |
| 1:07.3 | the president, Reisip Tayyip Edouan, accused the opposition of resorting to street terror. |
| 1:17.4 | I would like to remind you once again that the days of taking to the streets and wagging the finger at the national will while taking leftist |
| 1:29.0 | organisations, marginalised groups and vandals with you are long gone. The days when politics and |
| 1:36.4 | justice were directed through street terrorism are a thing of the past. Well, we can speak now to our |
| 1:43.5 | reporter in Istanbul. Emily Wither joins us live. Well, we can speak now to our reporter in Istanbul. |
| 1:45.2 | Emily Wither joins us live. |
| 1:47.6 | Emily, first of all, can you update us on these charges against Mr. Imam Olu? |
| 1:52.6 | He's been in court, hasn't he? |
| 1:54.1 | Is he still there? |
| 1:55.7 | Yes, he's still there, and we expect the hearings to go late into the night. |
... |
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