Students at Istanbul’s prestigious Galatasaray University took to the streets on Thursday to protest the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the main political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The demonstration comes amid rising political tensions ahead of key elections.

İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure, has been a vocal critic of Erdoğan’s government. His detention has sparked outrage among his supporters, who see the move as an attempt to suppress political opposition. Protesters in Istanbul chanted slogans demanding his release, calling the arrest politically motivated.

The Turkish government has yet to comment on the protests, but opposition leaders have condemned the detention as an attack on democracy. The situation is being closely watched both domestically and internationally as concerns grow over political freedoms in Turkey.