ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkish police detained 19 people in Istanbul on Wednesday for using social media to rally opponents of constitutional changes to protest against expanding the president’s powers, local media reported.
A referendum on Sunday showed that 51.4 percent of Turks backed amending the constitution to establish an executive presidency and give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan control of the judiciary, among other powers.
The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said those detained in Istanbul were suspected of trying to create divisions and stoke hatred among the Turkish population.
Thousands took to the streets in Istanbul, Ankara and elsewhere in Turkey to protest the results of the referendum. They banged pots and demanded most votes to be recounted. Two opposition parties challenged the outcome with the electoral board, but it rejected the motions earlier in the day.
