Prosecutors in Turkey requested the formal arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Sunday, March 23, accusing him of corruption and links to terrorism, sparking widespread protests across the country.
Imamoglu, a key political challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday, March 19, and his arrest has sparked the largest wave of demonstrations in Turkey in over a decade.
Imamoglu, questioned for hours by authorities over allegations of aiding the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and corruption, rejected all charges.
His detention has been widely seen as a political move to remove him from the 2028 presidential race.
“This is a coup,” Imamoglu said, accusing the government of exploiting the judiciary.
His arrest triggered protests in multiple cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, where demonstrators clashed with police.
Authorities used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, resulting in the detention of 323 people.
Despite the crackdown, thousands continued to rally in support of Imamoglu.
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), to which Imamoglu belongs, held a primary on Sunday, March 23, with symbolic ballot boxes set up nationwide for citizens to express support.
Imamoglu, speaking from prison, urged voters to protect their democratic rights.
“They are very afraid of you and your democratic right to vote,” he tweeted.
Internationally, Imamoglu’s arrest has drawn criticism, with the Council of Europe and the German government condemning the move as a blow to democracy in Turkey.
Imamoglu has faced several legal battles, including an ongoing appeal against a 2022 conviction for insulting Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council, and a recent university decision that could bar him from running for president due to alleged issues with his diploma.
Imamoglu’s detention comes just days before he was expected to be nominated as the CHP’s presidential candidate, with the opposition viewing his arrest as an attempt to silence one of Erdogan’s most prominent rivals.
Source: NPR.
