Ekrem Imamoglu was detained earlier this week on corruption and terrorism charges
A Turkish court formally arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Sunday and ordered his pretrial detention on corruption charges. The news comes amid violent protests that swept the country following Imamoglu’s detention earlier this week.
The mayor, a prominent member of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) who is seen as a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday as part of a sweeping probe into alleged extortion, bribery, and fraud. Prosecutors have also opened a separate case into his alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara considers to be a terrorist organization.
On Sunday, the court approved the request of prosecutors to jail Imamoglu pending trial on the corruption charges. A decision on the terrorism probe is still pending. The mayor faced questioning in court on Saturday, where he denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the charges against him are politically motivated.
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Erdogan’s bane: The Turkish president’s most powerful rival is arrested. What now?
Imamoglu’s detention came days before he was due to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. His detention sparked some of the biggest protests in more than a decade, despite a ban on street gatherings in Istanbul, which has recently been extended until March 26.
On Saturday, the city saw a fourth straight night of protests, with thousands of people gathered outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters in Sarachane and at the Caglayan courthouse. Protesters waved flags and chanted slogans in support of Imamoglu. Police responded with tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowds.
People in Turkey are rising up in protest against Erdogan…And Elon Musk is suspending accounts to help shield him.Free speech absolutist, my arse. pic.twitter.com/3nNdpufeBl
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) March 22, 2025
Similar scenes were reported in Ankara and the western city of Izmir, where water cannons were deployed, according to local media reports. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 323 people were detained during the unrest across the country as of Sunday morning.
Erdogan condemned the protests, accusing opposition leaders of inciting “street terrorism” and warning that these actions will not be tolerated.
READ MORE:
Protests in support of detained mayor sweep Türkiye (VIDEOS)
Imamoglu commended the demonstrations in a post on X, describing them as “a defense of democracy.” He also encouraged supporters to vote in symbolic “solidarity boxes” set up across the country by the CHP to allow people who are not party members to express their support for the mayor. Despite the court’s ruling, the CHP earlier reaffirmed its intention to endorse Imamoglu as the party’s presidential candidate.
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