The head of the Turkey's opposition visit the challenger Erdogan Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu

Istanbul (AP) The leader of the main opposition party of Turkey went to the imprisonment of the mayor of Istanbul imprisoned Immamogl ecrem Tuesday after six nights of massive protests Appeal to his release.

Imamoglu, Arrested on March 19 for corruptionis considered the main challenger by President Recep Tayyip Erdogans 22 years ago. His arrest was largely considered as politically motivated And triggered demonstrations, some becoming violent, across the country. The government insists on the judiciary of the turkey is independent and without political influence.

Ozgur Ozel, the party leader of the Republican Peoples of Imamoglu, or CHP, held a two -hour meeting with Imamoglu in Silivri prison, west of Istanbul. Ozel told journalists that he was ashamed on behalf of those who govern Turkey of the atmosphere in which I am and the situation that Turkey is put through.

He described Imamoglu and two mayors of the district of the imprisoned CHP which he also met in three lions inside, standing standing, head very proud of them, their families, their colleagues, not afraid.

Ozel later spoke in what he said to be the last rally in front of the town hall of Istanbul, saying that the party would appoint an acting mayor in place of Imamoglu in the hope of challenging a replacement appointed by the State.

Ozel announced his plans for a demonstration on Saturday in another place in Istanbul and warned the governor, appointed by the government in charge of the police, not to authorize violence during the last rally of the Town Hall.

If you cause this square tonight, if you use tear gas or attacks, I will change our plan for the next few days. I will make a call for 500,000 people to (come to) the place that will bother you the most, he said.

Media repression and activists

Turkey students protested on Tuesday and occupied campuses after declaring a boycott of the lessons. In Istanbul, thousands of people gathered in a park before walking in the Sisli district, where the elected mayor was imprisoned and replaced by one appointed by the government.

Meanwhile, the Turkish authorities repressed journalists as the demonstrations developed.

The Media and Law Studies Association, a civil society group, said 11 journalists who had been detained for covered prohibited demonstrations in Istanbul had been brought to the Caglayan courthouse to meet the accusations of violation of the law on meetings and demonstrations.

Journalists were part of more than 200 people than prosecutors recommended for the trial awaiting imprisonment, including left -wing activists gathered at their home during the raids early on Monday. Tuesday evening, 172 people, including seven journalists, had been imprisoned before the trial.

Among the people sent to pre -trial detention, Berkay Gezgin, 22 -year -old, invented the sentence, everything will be great when he met Imamoglu on the campaign track in 2019. The slogan endured as the central part of the mayors' political identity since.

The Turkish media reported that American citizen Michael Anthony Ganoe had been expelled for having incited the public to hatred during the demonstrations.

The head of the Istanbul branch of the CHP, Ozgur Celik, shared a letter he received from the prosecutors' office commanding the dismissal of Imamoglu posters. He said he wouldn't comply.

You will see more mayor Ekrem on the balconies of the houses, in the squares, in the streets and on the walls, Celik posted on X.

The demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as the small cities and the cities of Turkey, were largely peaceful, the demonstrators demanding the release of Imamoglus and the end of the democratic decline. Some have become violent, the police deploy water cannons, tear gas and peppery gas and pulling plastic dumplings on demonstrators, some of which have launched stones, fireworks and other objects in the riot police.

The governors of Ankara and Izmir extended the prohibitions for demonstrations until April 1 and March 29, respectively. The ban on Istanbul is currently ending on Thursday.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the police on Tuesday that the police had 43 provocateurs about what he said that vile insults had launched Erdogan and his family during demonstrations. Later, he posted that 1,418 people had been detained since Wednesday last Wednesday, and 979 suspects were currently in detention. No concession will be made to those who will try to terrorize the streets, he wrote on X.

The social media accounts of Ozel and Imamoglu have displayed insulting convictions launched against Erdogan's mother.

Addressing a quick Ramadan meal in Ankara, Erdogan called on people to know their limits, to maintain moderation and not to cross the border between research rights and insult and vandalism.

He added: Those who spread terror in the streets and want to transform this country into fires have no destination. The path they take is a dead end.

Mayor's arrest and possibility of first elections

Imamoglu was imprisoned for the suspicion of leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data and accusations of rigging that he denied. He also faces prosecution for accusations related to terrorism and was suspended from the obligation as a temporary measure.

Alongside Imamoglu, 47 other people were imprisoned while waiting for the trial, including a key assistant and two district mayors in Istanbul. 44 Other suspects in the case alleging a generalized transplant in the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul were released under judicial supervision.

The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned generalized detentions in Türkiye. All persons detained for the legitimate exercise of their rights must be published immediately and unconditionally, said spokeswoman Liz Throssell in a statement.

Although Turkey is not due to another election before 2028, there is a reasonable possibility that Erdogan calls for an early vote in order to present itself for another quarter.

Imamoglu was confirmed as a CHP candidate and has performed well in recent polls against Erdogan. He was elected mayor of the largest cities in turkey in March 2019, in a major blow to Erdogan and his justice and development party, which had checked Istanbul alongside its predecessors for a quarter of a century.

Police disperses demonstrators near the town hall in Istanbul

The security forces used a more moderate approach on Tuesday to disperse the anti -government demonstrators compared to the previous days.

Ozel, the chief of the CHP, spoke for a long time near the town hall of Istanbul after threatening a broader demonstration if the authorities used excessive force again.

After his speech, the police said that the road under the historic aqueduct where the police and demonstrators have held a confrontation since the second day of the events would reopen. The police asked demonstrators to leave several times.

The police have progressed slowly on the group until they disperse, with some physical altercations. A small crowd briefly sought refuge outside the town hall.

The demonstrators chanted antigolanding slogans, demanded the resignation of Erdogans and organized a sit-in near the historic aqueduct.

A demonstrator, who refused to give his name due to the fear of reprisals and the detention of the security forces, said that the demonstrators who threw stones at the police did not belong. He also called Erdogan to resign.

Another demonstrator, an 18-year-old man who also retained his name, said he was detained and then released after the demonstrations on Monday, even if we did not escape the police, they came to spray us with pepper gas, “he said.

Images of clashes have largely circulated on Social Networks on Monday, including a spraying and shouting officer to flight demonstrators.

The demonstrators sought on Tuesday to remain peaceful, to distinguish and to withdraw those who threw objects or shouted insults.

Small fights between the demonstrators broke out after groups accused themselves of unnecessarily provoking the police. A man was struck by a group of demonstrators after being accused of having thrown objects to the police.

The writer Associated Press Jamey Kealen in Geneva and Robert Badendieck in Istanbul contributed to this report.