The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, a figure in the Turkish opposition, was imprisoned on Sunday March 23 by a judge, after being accused of corruption and support for a terrorist organization.
Its arrest, which occurred on Wednesday, caused a shock wave in the country and launched a series of large -scale demonstrations, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country. Imamoglu, the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was about to be appointed presidential candidate of 2028 by his party, the CHP (Republican Party of the People), when he was arrested.
Imamoglu, which has already denied accusations of corruption, faces proceedings for financial crimes, including irregularities in calls for tenders and allegations of extortion. The most serious accusation, however, concerns supposed links with terrorist groups, including the PKK, a Kurdish armed group, which could have heavy consequences. Its defenders denounce violations of the rights of the defense, claiming that legal proceedings did not comply with international standards.
This incarceration has fueled protests across the country. Since the mayor’s arrest, demonstrations have been organized in more than 55 of the 81 provinces of Türkiye, causing hundreds of arrests. The rallies intensified in Istanbul, where thousands of people have invaded the streets to express their support for Imamoglu, certain demonstrators even remaining inside the town hall for the night. Faced with pressure, the governorate of Istanbul extended the ban on public rallies until Wednesday evening, strengthening security measures to avoid disorders.
The republican party of the people described this arrest as “political coup” and denounced a plot aimed at harming the reputation of their leader. Imamoglu, which became an essential figure in the opposition after its electoral victory in 2019, was a constant target on the part of Erdogan, which lost Istanbul after twenty-five years of domination over the city. The mayor’s incarceration exacerbated political tensions in the country and strengthened the fears of increased state control over the municipality of Istanbul, with the possibility of appointing an administrator at its head.
Imamoglu said that the accusations against him were “immoral and baseless”, and promised to continue those responsible for this “strategy” aimed at taint his credibility.
