Hundreds of Turkish opposition supporters gathered in Istanbul on 9 April to protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and other officials from the main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP).

The rally was the first in a series of protests that NRP leader Özgür Özel announced his party would hold weekly in different parts of Istanbul and Turkey.

The mayor of Sisli district, Resul Emrah Sahan, was removed from his post and replaced by a state-appointed trustee.

"We will not stop without getting results," Özel stressed during the protest, likening Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his government to junta rule.

Hundreds of thousands of Turks, including university students, heeded opposition calls to protest after Imamoglu's detention on March 19.

The protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained and about 300 are in custody awaiting trial.

"We are trying to raise our voices in the street against those who ignore and suppress the will of the people," said Ege Sevincli, a sociologist who attended the rally.

"Our right to vote has been revoked. That's why we are on the streets," he added.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the NDP, the country's main opposition party, is trying to thwart a major corruption investigation targeting Ekrem Imamoglu.

Erdogan said the main opposition party was trying to derail the investigation by "shouting" and accusing state institutions of politicking in an attempt to block justice.

The opposition believes the investigation is politically motivated to prevent Imamoglu from running for the country's presidency. | BGNES