Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has initiated a boycott since the March 19th arrest of İstanbul Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, a primary rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On April 2nd, Turkish consumers were invited to abstain from all purchases entirely in a move initiated by university students.

As the boycott has gained momentum, various opposition actors have been targeted by government officials who accuse boycott organizers and supporters of inflicting ‘damage on the nation’.

Following the CHP’s announced list of government-linked businesses to be boycotted, students from universities across Turkey decided to expand boycotting of their university class attendance to a call to abstain from all spending for the entire day Wednesday (April 2).

On Tuesday (Aprıl 1), CHP chairman Özgür Özel had announced his support for the student-led initiative, saying “I invite all to join this boycott and exercise their power as consumers.”

On Tuesday (April 1), Istanbul Chief Prosecutor announced an investigation was being launched into ‘those calling for boycotts’. While boycotts remain technically legal in Turkey, Tuesday’s investigation accuses those of calling for boycotts with ‘inciting the public to hate and animosity’.

Erdoğan........

© Medyascope