Turkey jails Istanbul mayor and President Erdoğan's rival despite massive protests

An Istanbul court has ordered the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the city's mayor and main political rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on corruption charges, following his detention last week.

Following the court order, the Turkish Interior Ministry said it was removing Imamoglu as mayor of Turkey’s largest city. Two other Istanbul district mayors, Belikduzu Mayor Mehmet Murat Calik and Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan, who were arrested with him, were also suspended from their duties. 

Imamoglu has denied the charges against him, claiming they are politically motivated. Imamoglu’s party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), also argued the arrest, detention and court order are undemocratic. 

Turkish authorities have charged Imamoglu with “establishing and managing a criminal organization, taking bribes, extortion, unlawfully recording personal data and rigging a tender.” 

While the authorities have denied the arrest and charges are politically motivated, the government has arrested six out of CHP's 27 municipal mayors in the year following opposition parties giving Erdoğan’s AK party its worst electoral defeat since the party began dominating Turkish politics. 

Imamoglu’s arrest sparked protests over five consecutive nights in several municipalities, including Turkey’s three largest cities, despite a government ban on protests. 

Saraçhane bugün... pic.twitter.com/kZuvhEuF01

— Tele1 TV (@tele1comtr) March 22, 2025

Prior to his removal from office, Istanbul City Hall released a statement from Imamoglu, saying, “This process has not only harmed Turkey’s international reputation but has also shattered the public’s sense of justice and trust in the economy.” 

Access to several social media platforms, including 𝕏, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, remain restricted several days after Imamoglu’s arrest, as Turkish authorities have grappled with the protests. 

After Imamoglu’s arrest, the CHP party held a primary where the mayor was elected as its official candidate in the 2028 presidential election. 

The Istanbul Municipal Council is expected to meet on Wednesday to elect a deputy mayor to replace Imamoglu. 

Within Turkey, some speculate that the government may seek to replace the leader of the CHP party with a trustee, aiming to wrestle control of the party away from the current leadership and neutralize its opposition to Erdoğan. 

Imamoglu was one of more than 100 people, including politicians, journalists, and businessmen, detained by Turkish authorities last week. All have publicly criticized Erdoğan or his AK party. 

CHP set up symbolic “polling stations” nationwide, inviting people to vote for Imamoglu in solidarity following his arrest. The party reported that almost 15 million people have done so in the past few days. 

In Israel, security officials are watching the unrest in Turkey closely. According to reports in Hebrew media, over the past week, the defense establishment has held several discussions on the northern arena, including attempts by the new regime to rehabilitate military infrastructure, as well as Turkey’s involvement in Syria. 

Israeli officials have watched with alarm as Turkey has begun moving military troops into Syria as part of a security pact with the new government. The Israeli government is concerned that a Turkish military presence east of the city of Homs will allow the Turkish military to access southern Syria in the future, potentially facilitating quick entry into Israel in the event of a future confrontation. 

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TURKISH FORCES ARE MOVING CLOSER TO ISRAEL’S BORDER

A high-level Turkish security delegation conducted field tours today in the city of Homs to inspect several sites for the establishment of Turkish military bases in and around the city.

Additionally, they plan to activate… https://t.co/TFEUuTMZnk pic.twitter.com/kynjY0iEHF

— Voice From The East (@EasternVoices) March 22, 2025