11 detained as part of probe over boycott calls

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have issued detention warrants for 16 individuals, with actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu among detainees in connection with an ongoing investigation into calls for boycotts on social media.

Following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu last month, his party Republican People's Party (CHP) explicitly named a group of brands, accusing them of aligning with the government while disregarding the opposition and urged the public to boycott them.

Another call to suspend all shopping was made for April 2 in protest of the arrests of 301 students during the nationwide demonstrations triggered by the probes targeting the mayor.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on April 1 against the boycott calls, citing charges of inciting hatred, discrimination and public enmity.

Early on April 3, the police apprehended 11 of the targeted individuals, including actor Üzümoğlu, who has been a vocal supporter of both the protests and the boycott initiative.

The 31-year-old actor is widely recognized for his portrayal of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in Netflix’s docudrama “Rise of Empires: Ottoman.”

Efforts to locate and detain the remaining five suspects are ongoing.

Üzümoğlu’s detention comes in the wake of another controversy involving actress Aybüke Pusat, who was removed from a state-run TRT television series due to her endorsement of the boycott.

The government denounced both the general boycott campaign and the April 2 “no shopping” movement, condemning the appeal as adversaries of the national economy.

In a show of defiance, several cabinet ministers shared videos of themselves shopping.

Certain Turkish media outlets have reported that the boycott had no discernible adverse impact on the economy, highlighting bustling markets and shopping districts.

According to data from the Interbank Card Center (BKM), transaction volumes on April 2 surpassed those of April 1, the final day of the holiday period. Furthermore, April 2’s transaction values exceeded the daily average recorded between March 3 and 22.

As per state-run Anadolu Agency’s reporting, the total transaction volume surged from 14 billion Turkish Liras (nearly $369 million) on April 1 to 28 billion liras ($737 million) on April 2.

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat emphasized that businesses suffering losses due to the boycotts would have the right to pursue legal action for damages.

"April 2 will be a historic day for the Turkish economy. Those who create, who produce, will win. Those who try to destroy and halt progress will lose," Bolat stated during his visit to local merchants in the capital Ankara.