The leader of Turkey's principal opposition party has met with imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu following six consecutive nights of large-scale demonstrations demanding his liberation.

Imamoğlu, who was detained on March 19 on allegations of corruption, is considered the primary rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's 22-year governance.

His detention has been broadly perceived as politically driven and ignited protests in numerous urban areas nationwide, with some escalating into violence.

The government asserts that Turkey's judicial system operates independently and remains unaffected by political pressures.

Özgür Özel, who leads the Republican People's Party (CHP), met with İmamoğlu for a two-hour discussion at Silivri Prison, located west of Istanbul.

Özel told journalists that he felt "embarrassed for those governing Turkey due to the environment I'm experiencing and the circumstancesTurkey is enduring."

He referred to İmamoğlu and the two imprisoned CHP district mayors whom he also encountered as "three lions within, remaining upright, holding their heads high... proud of themselves, their families, their peers, unafraid."

Özel revealed late Monday that the gathering scheduled for Tuesday evening would mark Chp's last rally held outside of Istanbul’s City Hall, urging citizens to attend.

He added that the party would select a member for the municipal council to serve as acting mayor instead of İmamoğlu, thereby preventing the potential appointment of an administrator by the government.

Crackdown on journalists and activist groups

Students throughout Turkey staged protests and took over their campuses on Tuesday following the announcement of a class boycott.

In Istanbul, crowds of thousands assembled in a park prior to heading towards the Şişli district, where the democratically chosen mayor has been incarcerated and supplanted by an appointed official from the government.

At the same time, Turkish officials have been taking action against reporters as demonstrations have intensified.

The Media and Law Studies Association, a non-governmental organization, stated that 11 reporters, arrested for reporting on prohibited demonstrations in Istanbul, were taken to the city’s Çağlayan Courthouse to face accusations related to breaching regulations concerning gatherings and public assemblies.

Among those recommended for pre-trial detention by the prosecutors were over 200 individuals, which included not only journalists but also left-leaning activists who were arrested during home raids conducted early Monday.

By late Tuesday, authorities had detained 172 individuals, among whom were seven journalists, prior to their trials.

Özgür Celik, who leads the CHP's branch in Istanbul, posted a letter he got from the prosecutor’s office instructing him to take down İmamoğlu's posters. He declared his intention not to follow this order.

"Mayor Ekrem will be spotted more frequently on house balconies, in plazas, on streets, and on walls," Celik shared on X.

Protests in Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir, along with various smaller cities and towns throughout Turkey, have mostly remained calm as demonstrators call for the release of İmamoğlu and seek to halt the decline in democracy.

A number escalated into violence, as law enforcement used water cannons, tear gas, pepper spray, and fired plastic pellets at demonstrators. Some protesters responded by throwing rocks, fireworks, and various items towards the riot police.

On Tuesday, the administrators of Ankara and İzmir announced extensions to their demonstration prohibitions until April 1st and March 29th, respectively. Meanwhile, the restriction in Istanbul is set to expire this coming Thursday.

On Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the police had apprehended 43 individuals suspected of being "provocateurs," allegedly responsible for the "disrespectful remarks" directed towards President Erdoğan and his family during the demonstrations.

Subsequently, he shared that 1,418 individuals had been apprehended since last Wednesday, with 979 suspects presently held in custody.

He stated on X that no compromises would be made for individuals trying to intimidate the public.

The social media accounts of Özel and İmamoğlu issued statements condemning the insults directed at Erdoğan's mother.

At a Ramadan breaking-fast dinner in Ankara, Erdogan urged individuals to "be mindful of their boundaries, practice restraint, and avoid crossing the line from asserting their rights to resorting to insults and vandalism."

He stated, “Those individuals who instill fear in the streets and aim to transform this nation into a blaze have nowhere to go. The route they follow leads only to a dead end.”