A month after the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest political rival - the chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) said he would address parliament when the country marks National Sovereignty Day.

Özgür Özel was recently elected leader of the CHP, which was founded by the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Özel reiterated the call for the rally in an X publication, despite the government's ban on mass gatherings.

"April 23 cannot be banned. Our gathering in front of parliament and our march to Anitkabir (Ataturk's mausoleum) cannot be stopped," he said. "I call on all Ankara residents, especially young people and students, as well as all those who will be in Ankara tomorrow, to go in front of the parliament at 17:00 (local time) with Turkish flags in hand. Sovereignty belongs to the nation."

Imamoglu also supported the rally plan from his cell in Istanbul's Silivri prison, where he has been detained on corruption charges since March 25.

"I will watch this march for national sovereignty from prison. I will be on your side. I will march together with you," Imamoglu's team wrote on X.

Imamoglu's arrest sparked a wave of protests in Turkey's major cities, mostly involving young people. | BGNES