TURKEY: Large crowds take to the streets of Istanbul, in a rally organised by Turkey's main opposition party, to protest against the government over an escalating corruption scandal

Record ID: 214201

  • Title: TURKEY: Large crowds take to the streets of Istanbul, in a rally organised by Turkey's main opposition party, to protest against the government over an escalating corruption scandal
  • Date: 26th February 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) ISTANBUL RESIDENT, HULYA MALUSAKLI, SAYING: "The money that was at the homes of the leaders of the ruling party belongs to the people of this country. We are here to protest against them. We no longer want this government to rule Turkey." VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED IN CENTRAL TURKEY / WAVING POSTERS AND FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) ISTANBUL RESIDENT, LEVENT SALKIMLI, SAYING: "We hope that we won't witness another corruption incident in our country again. Many people are suffering from hunger, many people cannot find a loaf of bread to eat."
  • Embargoed: 13th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2Y1COZD03X567MNG414H08RRU
  • Story Text: Turkey's largest opposition party staged a rally in Istanbul's main Taksim Square on Wednesday (February 26) in protest against a government mired in an intensifying corruption scandal.
    Around a thousand people took to the streets of Istanbul in show of support for the opposition, waving flags and banners and chanting slogans in support of opposition candidate for the mayorship of Istanbul, Mustafa Sarigul, from the Republican People's Party (CHP).
    Riot police backed by water cannon were stationed at the parameters of Taksim Square.
    Standing near a large pile of mock money bills, Sarigul, who is the current mayor of the Sisli district of Istanbul, called on Istanbul residents to "vote in favour of justice, equality and solidarity."
    Istanbul resident, Hulya Malusakli, said she no longer wished for Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government to be in charge.

    "The money that was at the homes of the leaders of the ruling party belongs to the people of this country. We are here to protest against them. We no longer want this government to rule Turkey," said Malusakli.

    "We hope that we won't witness another corruption incident in our country again. Many people are suffering from hunger, many people cannot find a loaf of bread to eat," added another demonstrators, Levent Salkimli.
    The demonstration comes on the back of a recent leaked recording posted on a social media website, purporting to reveal Erdogan telling his son to dispose of large sums of money on the day police raided houses in a graft inquiry into his government.
    The recording, the authenticity of which Reuters could not verify, marks a sharp escalation in a graft crisis Erdogan's government says has been concocted by a U.S.-based cleric seeking to undermine his 11-year rule by using influence in the police and judiciary.
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