Hundreds of thousands of Turks protested in Istanbul on Saturday against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main rival.

Turkey said on Thursday it rejected "prejudiced" foreign statements over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and protests it triggered, following the detention of nearly 1,900 people since the nationwide demonstrations began eight days ago.

Turkish authorities detained and deported BBC correspondent Mark Lowen​ and arrested other journalists amid the largest nationwide protests in a decade.

Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators have returned to the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, to show support for the city's jailed mayor. Ekrem Imamoglu, who is seen as the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,

Hundreds of thousands of Turks nationwide have heeded opposition calls to protest since Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained last week and then jailed pending trial on graft charges.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Istanbul joined one of the biggest demonstrations in recent Turkish history on Saturday to protest against the government and the controversial imprisonment of deposed mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Massive crowds gathered on Saturday for demonstrations organized by Turkey’s main opposition party to protest the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Supporters of the political opposition are finding ways to fight back after the government jailed the top political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Jailed Turkish opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu on Saturday called for unity against what he called his "unlawful" arrest, in a letter read at a large Istanbul rally. "I am not afraid at all. Because our dear nation is united,