A court formally arrested Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan early on Sunday and ordered him jailed pending the outcome of a trial on corruption charges.
Imamoglu was detained following a raid on his residence earlier this week, sparking the largest wave of street demonstrations in Turkey in more than a decade. It also deepened concerns, among Turks and outside Turkey, over democracy and rule of law.
His imprisonment is widely regarded as a political move to remove a major contender from the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028.
Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independently.
The formal arrest came as his opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, began holding a primary presidential election to endorse Imamoglu as its presidential candidate despite the arrest.
The party has also set up symbolic ballot boxes nationwide — called “solidarity boxes” — to allow people who are not party members to express their support to the mayor.
“Honestly, we are embarrassed in the name of our legal system,” Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, a fellow member of Imamoglu’s CHP, told reporters, criticising the lack of confidentiality in the proceedings.
“We learned from television pundits about the allegations that even lawyers did not have access to, showing how politically motivated this whole ordeal has been,” he said.
The mayor’s arrest marks an escalation of a government crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices.
Before his detention, Imamoglu had already faced multiple criminal cases that could result in prison sentences and a political ban. He was also appealing a 2022 conviction for insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council.
Earlier in the week, a university nullified his diploma, citing alleged irregularities in his transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus some 30 years ago. The decision effectively bars him from running for president, since the position requires candidates to be university graduates. Imamoglu had vowed to challenge the decision.
Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkey’s largest city in March 2019, in a major blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century. Erdogan’s party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.
The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu also won.
The mayor retained his seat following local elections last year, during which the CHP made significant gains against Erdogan’s governing party.
Protesters clash with police
On Saturday clashes had erupted between police and protesters in Istanbul on the fourth day of demonstrations following Imamoglu’s detention.
Police used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse crowds and push back hundreds of protesters who were hurling flares, stones and other objects at officers.
The Istanbul governor’s office announced it was expanding a ban on demonstrations until 26 March, and imposed restrictions on the entry and exit of vehicles deemed to be transporting people “likely to participate in unlawful activities”; protesting.
Erdogan accuses the opposition of inciting chaos
Erdogan addressed the protests that have taken part across the country over the past four days calling for Imamoglu’s release, in an Iftar – the meal eaten to break fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – speech.
The Turkish president accused the opposition of trying to create “an atmosphere of tension and chaos”.
“I believe it is worth reminding once again that the days of going out into the streets, taking left-wing organisations, extremists, and Vandals with you, and threatening the national will are now behind us,” said Erdogan.
“The days when politics and justice were directed through street terror are now completely a thing of the past, along with old Turkey.”
Largest wave of protests in Turkey in over a decade
Other protesters gathered outside Istanbul city hall – Imamoglu’s designated office – where protests have been taking place daily since the mayor’s arrest.
The demonstrations mark the largest wave of protests in Turkey in more than a decade.
Protests were largely peaceful, but a group of protesters, trying to break through barricades to reach Istanbul’s main square, threw flares, stones and other objects at police.
Protesters say pepper spray was used against them, along with water cannons, tear gas and some even claim officers fired rubber bullets.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya says 343 suspects were detained in nationwide protests in major cities on Friday night.
He also added that “there will be no tolerance for those who seek to violate societal order, threaten the people’s peace and security, and pursue chaos and provocation.”
