On the evening of the 18th in Istanbul, a protest was held to mark the one-year anniversary of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's arrest on corruption charges. Thousands of supporters attended the rally, demanding his release as the mayor remains suspended from his duties due to the legal accusations against him. İmamoğlu, a member of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), is viewed as a significant political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in power for over two decades. The prosecution is seeking a sentence of up to 2,000 years in prison, a situation that raises concerns about judicial independence in Turkey.

The CHP and İmamoğlu maintain that the charges are politically motivated, framing them as an act of political repression by the current government. In contrast, the ruling party emphasizes its commitment to judicial independence. During the protest, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu reiterated their determination to continue fighting for İmamoğlu's freedom and expressed intentions to nominate him as a candidate for the presidency in the upcoming elections scheduled for 2028.

Among the attendees was a university student, who acknowledged that while participation may have dwindled since the arrest, they firmly believe that continuing to voice their dissent will ultimately bring about justice. This situation underscores a broader struggle for political rights and judicial fairness in Turkey, as many citizens question the integrity of the country's legal system and the legitimacy of its current political landscape.