Historic rally in Maltepe... International press covers the massive rally with these photos

The detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu during a dawn raid on his home on March 19, followed by his arrest on March 23 and transfer to the Marmara Closed Prison in Silivri, was met with protests across Turkey.

As the actions that began in Saraçhane grew nationwide with marches by university students and gatherings in city squares, the CHP held a massive rally in Maltepe. Hundreds of thousands of people attended the “Freedom for Our Presidential Candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu Rally” held on the Maltepe coast.

A Great Gathering in Maltepe

Citizens who flocked to the rally area from the early morning hours packed the venue, holding Turkish flags and placards reading “Freedom.” In addition to participants from all over Istanbul, there was intense participation in the rally from surrounding provinces.

The rally began at 12:00 PM with CHP provincial and district mayors taking the stage to greet the participants. CHP provincial chairs, district chairs, women's and youth branch executives, party assembly members, and deputies were present at the rally in full force.

Not only the CHP, but political parties such as the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the Labour Party (EMEP), and the Left Party also supported the rally. Unions, professional organizations, and democratic mass organizations also took part in the historic meeting in Maltepe.

İmamoğlu Followed Maltepe from Prison

Ekrem İmamoğlu followed the rally in Maltepe live on television from his cell in Silivri. CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik read the letter penned by İmamoğlu at the rally. In the final part of the letter, there was a major surprise: an AI-powered hologram of İmamoğlu was projected onto the stage, allowing his message to be heard in his own voice.

Enthusiasm Reached Its Peak in the Rally Area

Throughout the rally, the crowd filling the area frequently chanted the following slogans:

“Rights, law, justice!”

“President İmamoğlu!”

“Everything will be very beautiful!”

“We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal!”

“Turkey is secular, it will remain secular!”

“Tayyip resign!”

Videos of İmamoğlu's previous speeches were broadcast on giant screens throughout the area.

Signature Campaign Launched

During the rally, a signature campaign was launched for İmamoğlu's freedom. Officials stationed at entry points collected support signatures from arriving citizens. It was reported that the number of signatures collected for the campaign exceeded tens of thousands in the later hours of the rally.

İmamoğlu’s Family Took the Stage

One of the most emotional moments of the rally was when İmamoğlu’s family took the stage. İmamoğlu’s father Hasan İmamoğlu, mother Hava İmamoğlu, sister Neslihan Yakupçebioğlu, wife Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu, and sons Semih and Selim İmamoğlu greeted the hundreds of thousands of people in the rally area.

International Press Carried the Maltepe Rally to Headlines

Photographs taken from the rally area received extensive coverage in the world press. Media organizations such as Reuters, BBC, CNN International, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera carried photos of the crowd in Maltepe to their headlines.

Some international media outlets emphasized that İmamoğlu’s arrest signals a new era in Turkish politics and could have major effects on the election process.

Historic Post from İmamoğlu

Following the rally, Ekrem İmamoğlu shared an image of the crowd in Maltepe via the social media platform X.

While the echoes of the historic rally in Maltepe continue, CHP leader Özgür Özel announced that new rallies are on the way. Stating, “This is just the beginning! We will be in the squares all over Turkey,” Özel emphasized that they will follow the process closely.