Berkay Gezgin, a 21-year-old student and supporter of Istanbul's detained mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested outside city hall during massive anti-government protests. His lawyer asserts that Gezgin was targeted to send a message to deter youth from protesting. Imamoglu faces corruption charges and has been removed from office, coinciding with his party's presidential candidacy announcement. Over 2,000 others have been detained amid a significant clampdown by authorities, with President Erdogan denouncing the protests as violent, and blaming the opposition for instigating unrest.
Gezgin became the face of youth support for Imamoglu when he coined the slogan 'Everything will be fine', which resonated during the mayor's campaign in 2019.
His lawyer, Cemil Cicek, believes Gezgin's arrest was a targeted act to discourage protests, reminding citizens that even youth leaders are not immune to government crackdowns.
The protests that unfolded were the largest anti-government demonstrations in years, with almost 2,000 people detained amid significant government resistance against dissent.
Erdogan has labeled the protests as violent acts against authority, blaming the opposition party for inciting disruption and covering those who confront law enforcement.
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