• The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has called for a protest behind the IBB Cekmekoy Sports Complex located in the Hamidiye neighborhood of Istanbul’s Cekmekoy district at 19:30 (local time) on January 21. 
• The demonstration is being held to denounce the continued detention of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and other opposition figures. 

1. This event is part of the CHP’s weekly anti-government protests denouncing what they perceive as politically motivated arrests and investigations of CHP officials, including former Istanbul Mayor and CHP Presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been detained since March 2025. These demonstrations reflect the CHP’s sustained efforts to leverage the detention of its party officials into a rallying point amongst Turkey’s political opposition.  
2. FORECAST: Based on the CHP’s mobilization capabilities and previous weekly demonstrations, the slated rally is expected to draw a turnout in the high hundreds to low thousands. The demonstration is expected to transpire peacefully, although localized unrest, including scuffles with security forces, cannot be ruled out. Minor disruptions to travel are liable to occur in the vicinity of the IBB Cekmekoy Sports Complex from the early evening hours on January 21.  

Those operating or residing in Istanbul on January 21 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of Cekmekoy’s Hamidiye neighborhood due to the slated protest and associated risk of unrest.