Turkish prosecutors have initiated an investigation into individuals who are promoting economic boycotts on social and traditional media in response to the arrest and jailing of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul mayor and main rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office said in an April 1 statement that it was investigating calls that were allegedly aimed at preventing a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity. It cited potential violations of "laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility."

Imamoglu and his party, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), will struggle to keep up the momentum of the first week’s mass street protests against what the CHP says is a politically-motivated prosecution of Imamoglu for corruption and terror offences that lacks any evidence but is designed to remove the threat he poses to Erdogan's continued power. However, boycotts aimed at companies seen as close to the Erdogan regime backed by protest figurehead Imamoglu could have a measure of impact given Turkey’s fragile economic circumstances.

Asli Aydintasbas, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, on March 31 told France Today that Turkish authorities understand that there won't be much of a pushback from the West against the moves made against Imamoglu and the opposition, due to the current geopolitical environment. She added that the CHP was attempting to find a model of "sustainable resistance" to oppose Erdogan while at the same time protecting protesters.

Imamoglu has urged supporters to boycott entities seen as linked to government circles, Bloomberg reported on April 1.

It pointed to an Imamoglu post on X calling on “millions of our people to join the boycott process with discipline and self-devotion”. 

The “business world has surrendered to a handful of ambitious people in oppressive and anti-democratic power for years,” wrote Imamoglu, whom many analysts say would decisively beat Erdogan in a fair ballot box contest.

Ozgur Ozel, chairman of the CHP, called as early as last week for the boycotting of similarly-affiliated brands and companies. Among enterprises he mentioned were media companies and a chain of coffee shops.

Ozel has, meanwhile, pledged to continue holding protest rallies every week in Istanbul and other cities.

Turkish police had detained around 1,900 people over the demonstrations held so far, according to a statement released by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on March 27.

“It’s time for the media and business world to make a choice. They will either keep going led by one man [Erdogan] and face hard effects of the boycott, or side with those like us,” Imamoglu also wrote.

Erdogan has warned the CHP that he will not give in to “street terror”.