December 2025 – Amnesty International has accused Turkish authorities of systematically misusing the criminal justice system following the acquittal of 87 protesters, journalists and lawyers who were detained for eight months after participating in largely peaceful demonstrations earlier this year Jurist Amnesty International.
The protests, held between March 19 and 26, erupted in response to the pre‑trial detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who had been arrested on charges including bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and tender rigging. Nearly 2,000 people were detained nationwide during the demonstrations, according to court and rights‑group accounts Jurist.
Amnesty International said the acquittals highlight an “endemic misuse” of Turkey’s justice system to silence dissent, noting that many of those arrested were held under sweeping public‑assembly bans imposed by governorates in Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Manisa. Some bans restricted entry into Istanbul entirely, raising further concerns about proportionality and legality Jurist.
Dinushka Disanayake, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, the Balkans and Turkey, welcomed the acquittals but questioned why the defendants were subjected to months of detention and prosecution in the first place. She said the cases reflect a broader pattern of criminal law being used as a tool to intimidate critics and suppress peaceful protest Amnesty International.
Human rights observers say the episode underscores persistent concerns about judicial independence and civil‑liberty protections in Turkey, where mass arrests, protest bans and terrorism‑related charges have frequently been used against political opponents, activists and journalists.
Riot-police-in-Istanbul-Turkey-Flickr-Picture-by-Jeremy-Brooks
