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Protesters Boycott Shopping for a Day in Response to Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest

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The protests that broke out throughout Turkey after the detention of Istanbul’s opposition mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, have evolved into demands for a one-day shopping strike.

The student organizations responsible for the request also called on enterprises to close down operations on Wednesday.

Massive demonstrations against the government started the previous month following the imprisonment of İmamoğlu, who is seen as the primary opponent to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 22-year leadership.

Imamoglu faces allegations of corruption and terrorism, which critics argue are politically driven. However, the government maintains that the judicial system operates independently without political influence.

İmamoğlu’s party – the Republican People’s Party (CHP) – publicly supported the call for a commercial boycott.

“Everyone is encouraged to participate in this boycott and utilize the influence derived from spending,” stated Özgür Özel, the leader of the CHP party, in a social media posting.

Previously, Özel had urged individuals to boycott companies that he alleges support the government, with a particular focus on media organizations that chose not to broadcast footage of the massive protests where hundreds of thousands of Turks took to the streets demanding İmamoğlu’s release and an end to democratic regression.

The student-led boycott garnered an immediate reaction from the authorities.

The Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya labeled the incident as “sabotage” and termed it a “coup attempt against our economy.” Meanwhile, Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated that businesses experiencing financial harm due to this could seek compensation from those advocating for the boycott.

Bolat shared photos of his shopping trip on social media, accompanied by remarks stating it was a “day for supporting the nation’s economy.”

The leader of Turkey’s broadcasting regulatory body (RTÜK) mentioned potential measures against news outlets that promoted the boycott.

A week ago, the authorities imposed a 10-day broadcast suspension on an opposition channel, along with penalties and programming halts for several others.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has similarly initiated a criminal probe into the opposition’s calls for a boycott.

Imamoğlu, in a social media post from the prison where he has been detained since March 23rd, alleged that European politicians have begun severing connections with Turkey.

The European Commission decided against participating in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that she had canceled her scheduled meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

While incarcerated, İmamoğlu was officially named the CHP’s presidential nominee in an election presently set for 2028 but expected to occur sooner.

As reported by the independent ANKA News Agency, approximately 2,000 individuals have been detained since İmamoğlu’s arrest on March 19th. Among them, 316 remain imprisoned awaiting trial.

Many of them face charges related to involvement in demonstrations.

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