Erdogan addresses thousands of supporters at a mega rally in Istanbul

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered an address to tens of thousands of his supporters who came together to attend a Justice and Development (AK) Party election rally in Istanbul's Yenikapi district on Sunday.

Speaking at the mega rally, Erdogan highlighted Yassiada as Turkey's "Island of Democracy and Freedom," adding that the island would host a massive convention centre with the capacity to hold international meetings for days.

Yassiada, which is seen as a symbol of the sorrows of Turkish democracy, is located in the Sea of Marmara to the southeast of Istanbul.

The island is where Turkey's first democratically-elected prime minister Adnan Menderes along with all the leading Democratic Party (DP) members were arrested after the May 27, 1960, military coup, and were later jailed and tried under military junta courts.

Menderes and DP deputies were put on trial on charges of violating the constitution as well as embezzling money from state funds by a military court on the island of Yassiada.

The Yassiada Court had sentenced Menderes and his two ministers Fatin Rustu Zorlu and Hasan Polatkan to death; they were led to their execution by the junta on the island of Imrali, located in the south of Marmara Sea.

TRT World's Melinda Nucifora has more.

Addressing the rally one week before the elections in Turkey, President Erdogan asked AK Party supporters, "Are we ready to roar for unity, brotherhood and a powerful Turkey on 24th of June?"

The Turkish president highlighted progress made in Istanbul, making a comparison of living standards during his predecessor CHP's administration in the 1990s and the AK Party's tenure 2000 onwards

Erdogan also dismissed allegations of corruption against his government, pointing out the economic achievements Turkey has made including the payment of the country's IMF debt and accumulation of foreign reserves.

Announcing his election campaign promises, Erdogan also pledged to "once again make Istanbul a centre of culture and arts," and added that Istanbul's Ataturk Airport will be turned into a national garden once construction of Istanbul's third airport is complete and it comes into service.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also addressed the rally and underlined AK Party’s services to Turkey in the last 15 years. “What we have done is a guarantor of what we will do."

Turkey’s former Premier Tansu Ciller also attended the rally and said, “Everybody says something but the nation will have the final say. I am here today with only my national conscience.”