Over 1,400 protesters detained in Turkey by Khalifa Erdogan

As many as 979 suspects have been taken into custody and 478 of them will be brought before court, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said

More than 1,400 protesters were detained during protests in Turkey on March 19-25, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

“A total of 1,418 people were detained during illegal demonstrations on March 19-25. As many as 979 suspects have been taken into custody and 478 of them will be brought before court,” he wrote on the X social media platform.

The Turkish opposition has been holding rallies in support of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu since March 19, when he was detained on charges of corruption and links to terrorism. The largest-scale demonstrations are taking place in Ankara.

Meanwhile, the authorities have banned protests in the capital until April 1, and in Istanbul until March 27.

The Office of the Governor of Ankara has banned mass actions, meetings and rallies from March 26 to April 1, it said in a statement.

“Mass gatherings in closed and open spaces, demonstrations, marches, press statements, sit-ins, signature collection campaigns and similar actions and events, as well as the distribution of leaflets and the hanging of banners are prohibited from 00:00 on March 26 to 23:59 on April 1,” the governor said in a statement.

Earlier, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir had banned mass marches because of the protests over the March 23 jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Since March 19, when he was detained, opposition rallies and demonstrations in support of Imamoglu have been held daily in Turkish cities.

Some actions ended with clashes between the demonstrators and the police.