Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev attended an opposition rally in Istanbul, showing support for the detained mayors of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP). Terziev was present in his capacity as chairman of the B40 Balkan Cities Network, alongside Jaume Collboni, vice-chairman of the Eurocities Network and mayor of Barcelona. Both joined the guests on the rostrum at the event, held in the center of Istanbul to back imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other arrested CHP officials.

The rally, titled “The People Stand Up for Their Will,” was broadcast live on opposition channels HalkTV, Sozcu, and Cumhuriyet TV. CHP leader Özgür Özel introduced the European guests from the stage, noting that a delegation of ten European mayors and representatives from various cities would engage in discussions throughout the day. The delegation plans to present the “Special Democracy Award” to İmamoğlu, currently held in Silivri prison, and will make statements following meetings with him, including a visit to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

Last night’s protest marked the 50th demonstration since March 19, organized by the HDP across Istanbul and other Turkish cities in support of İmamoğlu and other imprisoned mayors. For the first time, a rally was held in Beyoğlu, a central district of Istanbul, following the arrest of Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney and 17 others. Despite earlier closures of metro stops in the district, Şişhane Square filled with people, civil organizations, and unions. Slogans such as “Freedom for mayors,” “İmamoğlu is president,” and “We want elections” rang out, while a letter from İmamoğlu written from prison was read aloud.

Özel addressed the crowd, emphasizing the continued resistance of the Turkish people despite repeated waves of arrests. He condemned the nine rounds of detentions and affirmed that the movement would not be intimidated, declaring that millions support İmamoğlu and other opposition figures. His speech, nearly an hour long, was punctuated by chants of “Justice, law, equality,” while the square remained heavily secured with barricades, police officers, and armored vehicles. The protest lasted almost two hours.

The rally comes after İmamoğlu was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on charges of “publicly insulting a civil servant” and “threatening” officials, following critical remarks directed at Istanbul’s Chief Prosecutor, Akın Gurlek. Originally, prosecutors had sought a sentence of 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months, including allegations of targeting people involved in anti-terror operations, though he was acquitted on that charge. As part of the ruling, İmamoğlu was temporarily suspended from office, and his university degree was revoked, barring him from contesting the 2028 presidential election despite his HDP nomination.

İmamoğlu’s arrest on March 19, 2025, on corruption charges, and his removal from office days later triggered the largest protests in Turkey since 2013. The broader crackdown has affected over 500 opposition-linked individuals, including many mayors, since early 2025. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defends the actions as part of a campaign against corruption, but opposition leaders describe them as a political purge. Özel labeled the arrests a “civil coup,” with analysts noting that the repressions are concentrated in municipalities won by the opposition during the 2024 elections.