Turkish authorities have detained nine journalists who covered overnight protests across multiple cities following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Journalists Union of Turkey reported on Monday.
The reason for their detention remains unclear.
İmamoğlu, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s primary political rival, was jailed on Sunday pending trial on corruption charges. His arrest has sparked the largest wave of protests in Turkey in over a decade.
Despite bans on street gatherings in many cities, largely peaceful demonstrations continued for a fifth consecutive night on Sunday, with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) urging supporters to mobilize against what they call a politically motivated and unjust decision.
The Turkish government insists that the judiciary operates independently and denies any political interference in the case.
İmamoğlu has dismissed the allegations as baseless, calling them “unimaginable accusations and slanders,” and has urged nationwide demonstrations.
Speaking to a crowd of protesters outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters in Sarachane, CHP leader Özgür Özel vowed that protests would continue until İmamoğlu is released.
Among the detained journalists is an Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer, according to the journalists’ union.