Huge crowd rallies against post-coup crackdown

Tens of thousands of people have gathered Istanbul at the end of a 450km (280-mile) protest march against the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Huge crowds have joined the “justice” march since it began in the capital Ankara on 15 June. They are demonstrating against the mass dismissals and imprisonments that followed last […]

Tens of thousands of people have gathered Istanbul at the end of a 450km (280-mile) protest march against the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Huge crowds have joined the “justice” march since it began in the capital Ankara on 15 June.

They are demonstrating against the mass dismissals and imprisonments that followed last year’s failed coup.

President Erdogan has accused the marchers of supporting terrorism.

He said the Republican People’s Party (CHP) – which has organised the march – had gone beyond political opposition and was “acting with terrorist organisations and the forces inciting them against our country”.

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu launched the march after one of his MPs, Enis Berberoglu, was arrested for allegedly leaking documents purporting to show that the government was arming jihadists in Syria.

Mr Berberoglu denies the charge. Sunday’s rally is taking place in an area close to the jail in which he is being held.