Ekrem Imamoglu, the Mayor of Istanbul, was arrested by Turkish authorities days before he was set to be selected as a presidential candidate. Imamoglu is speculated to be one of the strongest political rivals of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Prosecutors have accused Imamoglu of corruption and links to terrorist groups, labeling him a "criminal organization leader suspect." In a crackdown, 100 people, including politicians, journalists, and businessmen, were arrested, according to a report by the BBC.
Imamoglu responded in a post online by saying “The will of the people cannot be silenced.” He uploaded a video of police outside his home and stated he would “stand resolute” for the people of Turkey "and all who uphold democracy and justice worldwide.” Imamoglu also uploaded a handwritten note on X where he said that the Turkish people would respond to "the lies, the conspiracies and the traps” placed against him.
Protests have broken out across Istanbul, with anti-government chants and clashes between demonstrators and police. Law enforcement reportedly used pepper spray pellets to disperse crowds outside Istanbul University. Istanbul governor’s office has imposed four days of restrictions, which include a ban on public gatherings.
Imamoglu’s political party, the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), condemned the arrests and referred to them as “a coup against our next president.” Despite these claims, Turkey’s Justice Minister defended the actions and criticized claims of a link between Erdogan and the arrests. Erdogan, who has been in power for 22 years, has insisted that Turkey's judiciary is independent.
Imamoglu’s second term as Istanbul’s mayor, won in 2024, marked a major victory for his party, which had swept local elections in Istanbul and Ankara. It was the first time Erdogan’s party had been defeated across the country in an election since he had been in power.
In response to the incident, the Council of Europe has issued a statement, expressing concern that the detention of Imamoglu "bears all the hallmarks of the pressure on a political figure considered as one of the main candidates in forthcoming presidential elections."
