Turkish authorities have detained 37 people for sharing ‘provocative’ content on social media following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, said Interior Minister of Turkey Ali Yerlikaya, confirming the detention of 37 people on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent opposition leader and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on Wednesday, March 20, 2025.
Following Imamoglu’s arrest, many supporters and citizens took to social media to express their solidarity and concern.
Interior Minister of Turkey Ali Yerlikaya, in an X post, said Turkish authorities identified 261 suspicious account managers, including 62 based abroad, for “provocative posts” and “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” following the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu and 105 others and were continuing efforts to track down the remaining suspects.
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According to the interior minister, over 18 million tweets were sent within 24 hours of Ekrem Imamoglu’s arrest.
Meanwhile, protests and demonstrations in support of Imamoglu and the detained individuals have been reported in various cities across Turkey. The government has warned against unauthorized gatherings, but the public response shows a deep divide in Turkish society.
