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Turkish court commands Istanbul mayor imprisoned
(MENAFN) A Turkish court has ordered the pretrial detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges, following his arrest earlier this week. The decision has triggered widespread protests across Türkiye, with thousands taking to the streets despite an official ban on demonstrations in Istanbul.
Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday as part of an investigation into bribery, fraud, and extortion. Prosecutors have also launched a separate probe into his alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Türkiye considers a terrorist organization.
The court's Sunday ruling approved prosecutors’ request to keep Imamoglu in jail until trial, while the terrorism allegations remain under review. During a court appearance on Saturday, Imamoglu denied all charges, calling them politically motivated.
Imamoglu’s arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. The decision sparked some of Türkiye’s largest protests in over a decade, with Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir witnessing mass gatherings.
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators defied bans and gathered outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters and the Caglayan courthouse, chanting in support of Imamoglu. Police responded with tear gas and pepper spray, while in Ankara and Izmir, security forces used water cannons to disperse crowds. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 323 protesters were detained nationwide by Sunday morning.
President Erdogan condemned the unrest, accusing opposition leaders of inciting “street terrorism”, and warned that such actions would not be tolerated.
In response, Imamoglu praised the demonstrations as “a defense of democracy”, encouraging supporters to participate in symbolic solidarity votes set up by the CHP. Despite his detention, the CHP reaffirmed its support for Imamoglu as its presidential candidate.
Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday as part of an investigation into bribery, fraud, and extortion. Prosecutors have also launched a separate probe into his alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Türkiye considers a terrorist organization.
The court's Sunday ruling approved prosecutors’ request to keep Imamoglu in jail until trial, while the terrorism allegations remain under review. During a court appearance on Saturday, Imamoglu denied all charges, calling them politically motivated.
Imamoglu’s arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. The decision sparked some of Türkiye’s largest protests in over a decade, with Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir witnessing mass gatherings.
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators defied bans and gathered outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters and the Caglayan courthouse, chanting in support of Imamoglu. Police responded with tear gas and pepper spray, while in Ankara and Izmir, security forces used water cannons to disperse crowds. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 323 protesters were detained nationwide by Sunday morning.
President Erdogan condemned the unrest, accusing opposition leaders of inciting “street terrorism”, and warned that such actions would not be tolerated.
In response, Imamoglu praised the demonstrations as “a defense of democracy”, encouraging supporters to participate in symbolic solidarity votes set up by the CHP. Despite his detention, the CHP reaffirmed its support for Imamoglu as its presidential candidate.
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