Ekrem Imamoglu, the arrested mayor of Istanbul and a presidential candidate of Turkey's opposition People's Republican Party, said Turkish police mistreated youth protesters.

“I am very sorry to hear this. A group of people I cannot call the police are brutalizing our young children who are like diamonds in detention. I can't call them police because my respected police would not abuse young children in the country like this,” Imamoglu wrote on social network X.

The police in the morning of March 19 detained the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu and 90 officials on charges of bribery and leadership of a criminal group. Istanbul authorities have since banned any protests in the city. Imamoglu is the main political opponent of incumbent President Erdogan.