Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu Jailed By Turkish Court On Corruption Charges
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strongest political rival, has been jailed pending trial on corruption charges, sparking mass protests across Turkey. Imamoglu, who was expected to be the Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate in 2028, was arrested last week and formally charged Sunday. His supporters say the charges—including bribery, extortion, and rigging public tenders—are politically motivated. “We will, hand in hand, uproot this blow, this black stain on our democracy,” he said on X. His wife, Dilek Imamoglu, denounced the case as “unjust” and “illegal.”
The arrest has ignited Turkey’s largest protests in over a decade, with tens of thousands gathering in Istanbul and other cities despite police crackdowns. Riot police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets against demonstrators. The government has extended a ban on street gatherings, but opposition leader Ozgur Ozel called on people to “repel a coup through solidarity ballot boxes.” The CHP has opened voting to non-members, drawing nearly 15 million ballots in support of Imamoglu.
The jailing of Imamoglu follows months of legal action against opposition figures. His removal from office comes as Erdogan’s government faces mounting backlash, with some analysts suggesting he may push for early elections to bypass term limits. Meanwhile, Turkey’s financial markets have taken a hit, with the lira and stocks tumbling since Imamoglu’s detention. While Erdogan dismissed the protests as “theatrics,” critics warn that Turkey is sliding into full autocracy. Imamoglu, however, remains defiant: “I will never bow.”
