Turkey's opposition vows to sustain protests over jailing of Erdogan's main rival

FILE PHOTO: Ozgur Ozel, leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), attends a rally to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's main opposition leader on Sunday pledged further protests against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's chief rival, aiming to sustain Turkey's biggest demonstrations in more than a decade.

The protests began on March 19 when Imamoglu, a member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was detained on corruption charges in what protesters, opposition parties, European leaders and rights groups called a politicised and anti-democratic move.