Youth Activist Berkay Gezgin Arrested Amid Protests Over Istanbul Mayor’s Detention

Istanbu:  As 21-year-old Berkay Gezgin stepped out of Istanbul City Hall, a squad of police officers was waiting for him. The mass protests that had erupted outside the headquarters of detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu had begun to wane by midnight, yet hundreds of riot police remained stationed around the municipal building.

Gezgin, a prominent figure among the youth supporting İmamoğlu, first gained public recognition in 2019 when he met the mayor on the campaign trail. His phrase, “Everything will be fine,” became a defining slogan for İmamoğlu’s mayoral campaign, solidifying Gezgin’s place in the movement.

However, as he searched for his parked motorcycle after leaving city hall, he was swiftly seized by security forces and taken into custody. His lawyer, Cemil Çiçek, asserts that Gezgin’s arrest was premeditated and intended to serve as a warning to other protestors.

“They knew exactly who they were arresting and the level of support he has among young people,” Çiçek stated. “We believe this was a deliberate attempt to discourage further protests. The message is clear: if someone like Berkay Gezgin can be jailed, so can anyone else.”

Gezgin was among 200 individuals detained that day, an action that Çiçek believes is aimed at deterring further demonstrations. “Perhaps now, parents will warn their children against protesting,” he added.

The crackdown on protesters has drawn widespread criticism, with rights groups condemning the arrests as an attack on freedom of expression and political dissent. As tensions continue to simmer, the fate of Gezgin and other detainees remains uncertain, while the political landscape in Turkey grows increasingly fraught with unrest.