People smugglers prepare for wave of migrants fleeing Turkey to UK & Europe amid brutal protests as Erdogan rival jailed

PEOPLE smugglers are preparing for a wave of Turkish migrants to flood into Europe after strongman President Recep Erdogan's main rival was jailed.

The largest protests in a decade are now rocking Turkey after the mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday and charged with corruption.

Imamoglu denies the allegations – with the arrest coming just days before he was set to be selected as a 2028 presidential candidate.

People smugglers are now preparing for a surge in Turks trying to enter Europe and the UK, the Telegraph reports.

There are fears that Imamoglu's arrest is a part of a wider crackdown on democracy and human rights by Erdogan as the 71-year-old appears like he wants to extend his 22-year-long rule.

Protests have rocked Turkey's streets in response to the arrest, but cops have responded with beatings, tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons.

A Turkish people smuggler said he is now waiting for his compatriots to flee the country and cross into Europe.

He said: “These protests are affecting the [Turkish] people’s human rights.

“Turks who cross into Europe and the UK will be able to point to pictures of themselves in the media at these protests, attacked by police, as proof that they are politically persecuted.”

Imamoglu posted on X on Sunday vowing never to give in to Erdogan.

He said: “We will, hand in hand, uproot this blow, this black stain on our democracy... I am standing tall, I will not bow down.”

Imamoglu had his 31-year-old bachelor's degree revoked by Istanbul University just a day before his arrest.

That disqualifies the mayor from running as anyone seeking higher office in the country must have graduated from university.

It would also disqualify Imamoglu from being mayor of Istanbul and allow Erdogan to appoint a hand-picked ally to run the country's largest city.

Imamoglu is the only candidate on his party's ballot in the primary, thrusting Turkey into a constitutional crisis ahead of the election in three years time.

More than 1.5 million members of the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) began holding a primary presidential election to endorse Imamoglu as its presidential candidate.

The party has also set up symbolic ballot boxes nationwide called solidarity boxes to allow people who are not party members to express their support to the mayor.

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, a fellow member of Imamoglu's CHP, said: “Honestly, we are embarrassed in the name of our legal system.”

But he also faces terrorism charges likely for his party's association with Kurdish parties – who Erdogan hates and has persecuted.

The court said: “Although there is strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organization, since it has already been decided that he will be arrested for financial crimes.”

Turkey's currency this week plunged to a record low and Erdogan was forced to spend some £9bn to keep it afloat.

The migration route from Turkey into Greece has been the most popular for refugees and migrants with over one million taking the route in the past decade leading to a crisis in Europe.

Many of these people have been Syrians fleeing the civil war, Afghans fleeing the Taliban, or south Asians travelling for better lives.

Turkey holds a whopping 3.5million refugees and migrants who largely can't cross into Europe because of the water separating Asian Turkey from European Turkey.

But Turks would be able to easily move around their own country – although they are required to have a visa to enter Europe.

Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkeys courts operate independently.

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and an author of a biography of Erdogan, said with Imamoglus arrest, Erdogan was taking an extreme measure against his key opponent.

He said: “Erdogan is determined to do whatever it takes to end Imamoglus career, he said. He (Imamoglu) beats Erdogan in every imaginable presidential poll.”

Before his detention, Imamoglu had already faced multiple criminal cases that could result in prison sentences and a political ban. He was also appealing a 2022 conviction for insulting members of Turkeys Supreme Electoral Council.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkeys largest city in March 2019, in a major blow to Erdogan, whose party had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.

Erdogan's party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.

Moment Turkey’s hardman president Erdogan ‘slaps boy in the face for not kissing his hand’

Viewers were left in shock after the viral footage appeared to show President Recep TayyipErdogan slapping the young boy after he briefly hesitated when greeting the leader.

Erdogan was seen extending his hand to the two children so they could kiss it but one hesitated while staring up at the president.

Turkey's hardman quickly slapped the small boy across the face before resuming his position and waiting for the boy to kiss his outstretched hand.

The boy, who has not been named, kissed Erdogan's hand before the president handed both kids some money as a gift.

The shocking clip of Erdogan appearing to slap the little boy's face has gone viral on X and sparked fury among viewers.

Watch the clip here.