Turkey has released over 120 individuals on April 10 who were arrested during the large-scale anti-government protests that took place last month.
Courts in Istanbul granted conditional releases to 127 accused individuals, most of whom are students. They were detained in their homes on March 24 after participating in protests sparked by the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, who was arrested on March 19 on charges of corruption and terrorism, is viewed as the main political rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule. His imprisonment is widely seen as politically motivated and has ignited nationwide protests. The government maintains that Turkey’s judiciary is independent and not politically influenced.
More than 2,000 people were arrested in the largest protests Turkey has seen in over a decade. Of these, approximately 300 individuals are still in jail awaiting trial.
The 127 individuals released on Thursday face charges of participating in unauthorized protests. A court granted release to 102 of them, mainly students, stating that they pose a minimal flight risk, but their travel abroad has been restricted. Another court released 25 individuals on the condition that they report regularly to the police.
