‘Walk Across the Street’: Turkish Opposition Calls for Nationwide Boycotts of Pro-Erdogan Companies and Media

Latest Developments

• CHP Publishes List of Companies to Boycott: The leader of Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has called for a nationwide boycott of Turkish companies backing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The list includes media outlets that fail to cover the daily anti-government protests, among them the Turkish affiliate of U.S. broadcaster CNN. “Drink your coffee anywhere, just not at Espressolab,” CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel said in a March 25 speech. “Don’t step into D&R. If you see Demirören’s mall in İstiklal, walk across the street.” Ozel named nearly two dozen companies in his speech, and his party later published a website listing further companies to boycott.
• Hundreds of Protestors Arrested: Protests have continued daily since the March 18 arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is considered the strongest candidate to challenge Erdogan in a presidential election. On March 23, Imamoglu was formally arrested on corruption charges, which the CHP claims are politically motivated. Turkey’s Interior Ministry said on March 27 that nearly 1,900 people have been detained in connection with the demonstrations, with 260 arrested pending trial.
• Relentless Judicial Campaign Against Mayor: The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe — an organization unrelated to the European Union that promotes democracy, human rights, and the rule of law — called on Turkey to stop arresting elected officials from opposition parties, outlining a “relentless campaign of judicial harassment” against Imamoglu since he was elected mayor in 2019. Turkey has restricted social media, banned local media outlets from reporting on the protests, and arrested journalists. On March 27, Turkey deported a BBC reporter after detaining him at his hotel for 17 hours, accusing him of being a “threat to public order.”

FDD Expert Response

“The protests in Turkey resemble a high-stakes poker game: Protestors challenging Erdogan’s arbitrary arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu have to decide whether they simply want Imamoglu released so he can run against Erdogan for the presidency or whether to halt their efforts, sensing that they will be unsuccessful. Erdogan is calculating the extent to which he is willing to break democratic norms to preserve his rule. An awakened opposition movement throughout Turkey is testing the limits of Erdogan’s impunity.” — Sinan Ciddi, Non-Resident Senior Fellow

“Erdogan’s domestic opposition troubles are broadening and threatening the stability of the ruling Justice and Development Party. After days of escalating protests following the arrest of Imamoglu, Turkey has imposed a 10-day ban on opposition television broadcasts, jailed thousands of protesters, arrested at least 11 journalists, and deported a BBC reporter. The United States should impose Global Magnitsky sanctions on any Turkish official engaged in corruption or anti-democratic repression emanating from Ankara.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Congressional Relations, FDDA

FDD Background and Analysis

“Turkey’s readmission to the F-35 program must come with a cost,” by Jonathan Schanzer and Sinan Ciddi

“‘We’re Free People’: Protests Erupt in Turkey Over Arrest of Main Rival to Erdogan,” FDD Flash Brief

“Turkey Cracks Down on Demonstrators Protesting Arrest of Istanbul Mayor,” FDD Flash Brief

“Turkey Arrests Presidential Candidate Ekrem Imamoglu,” by Sinan Ciddi