A Turkish court has ordered the detention of Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu pending trial
The court has ruled that Imamoglu, a prominent opponent of President Erdogan, will remain in custody while facing corruption charges.
A Turkish court has officially ordered the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu pending trial on corruption charges, just days after his detention sparked mass protests across the country.
On Sunday, the court announced that Imamoglu, along with at least 20 others, had been jailed as part of a corruption probe. However, the Istanbul court did not file ‘terror’ charges against the mayor. “Although there is strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organization, his arrest has already been decided on financial crime charges, making further detention unnecessary at this stage,” the court stated.
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, noted that several other individuals facing similar charges were released pending trial.
Since Imamoglu was not charged with terrorism-related offenses, the court cannot appoint a government trustee to oversee Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. Instead, the next mayor will be elected from within the municipal council, Koseoglu reported.
“This is positive news for the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which holds the majority in the municipal council,” she added.
Following the court ruling, Imamoglu responded defiantly. “We will stand united and erase this blow, this black mark on our democracy… I remain steadfast and will not bow down,” he declared in a post on X.
Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure and a potential challenger to longtime President Tayyib Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday by the government over allegations of corruption and terrorism.
He has denied all accusations, dismissing them as part of a “smear campaign.” Meanwhile, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, a political ally of Imamoglu, condemned the ruling, calling it a disgrace to the judicial system.
The court’s decision to place Imamoglu in pre-trial detention has drawn widespread criticism from the opposition, European leaders, and tens of thousands of protesters, who have decried the charges as politically motivated. The government, however, has rejected claims of political interference.
On Saturday, President Erdogan accused CHP leaders of turning the party “into a tool to protect a handful of corrupt municipal officials blinded by money.” He also accused the opposition of “deliberately fueling unrest and dividing the nation.”
Increased Security Measures
Al Jazeera’s Koseoglu reported that security measures in Istanbul have been heightened since Saturday evening in anticipation of further protests on Sunday.
“Despite a protest ban extended until March 26, demonstrations have continued in Istanbul, Ankara, and nearly 50 other cities,” she said.
According to police, approximately 300,000 people participated in demonstrations in Istanbul on Saturday night. However, the opposition claimed the number was closer to one million. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures.
The court’s decision on Sunday also coincides with a primary election within the CHP to select a candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
Imamoglu is widely expected to be the CHP’s nominee, but his presidential ambitions suffered a setback last week when Istanbul University annulled his diploma, citing regulatory inconsistencies with the Council of Higher Education. Under Turkish law, presidential candidates must hold a higher education degree.
In response to Imamoglu’s detention, the CHP has encouraged non-party members to participate in voting as a show of public resistance.
With more than 1.5 million members, the CHP has set up 5,600 ballot boxes across Turkey’s 81 provinces. Polling is set to close at 14:00 GMT.
