Turkish authorities have detained President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s chief political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, as part of a corruption investigation, according to media reports. Imamoglu mentioned in a post early Wednesday that hundreds of police officers were stationed outside his house.
Broadcaster CNNTurk reported that police forces were searching his property as part of an ongoing investigation. His press aide, quoted by the AFP news agency, stated that Imamoglu was detained and is currently at the police headquarters.
Imamoglu’s detention comes after Istanbul University announced revoking his university diploma due to irregularities, dealing a significant blow to his presidential ambitions. To run for president, a candidate must possess a university degree. The university claimed that the graduations and degrees of 28 individuals, including Imamoglu, were declared “void” due to obvious errors.
Imamoglu, a popular opposition politician from the center-left Republican People’s Party (CHP), was expected to be nominated as his party’s presidential candidate this weekend. He has been twice elected as the mayor of Istanbul, defeating candidates from Erdogan’s ruling conservative Justice and Development (AKP) party in 2019 and 2023. The mayoral race in Istanbul holds significant importance since Erdogan launched his political career there and served as the mayor in the 1990s.
Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics since becoming prime minister in 2003 and is constitutionally required to hold elections before 2028 if he desires to run again. Imamoglu, however, stated that he would not give up and would take legal action against the annulment of his university diploma, considering it an illegitimate decision. He emphasized that the entire nation is in danger due to such actions and questioned the fairness of the ruling, citing political pressure on the judiciary. Critics argue that Turkish courts often align with Erdogan’s will, while the government claims that the judiciary operates independently.
The opposition party, CHP, pledged to stand by Imamoglu. CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel denounced the decision as a “dark smear” and confirmed that Imamoglu would remain their presidential candidate on March 23. Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, another potential CHP presidential candidate, expressed support for Imamoglu and vowed to take legal action against the university decision.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/developing-turkish-police-reportedly-detain-istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-one-of-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-s-main-rivals/a-71967396?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
