An Istanbul court has formally arrested Ekrem İmamoğlu, the city’s mayor, on corruption charges, resulting in his pre-trial detention on the day he was expected to receive his party’s nomination to run for president. İmamoğlu, a rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is accused of leading a criminal organization, bribery, misconduct, corruption, and aiding an armed terrorist group for cooperating with a leftwing political coalition before local elections. Despite a “strong suspicion of a crime,” prosecutors ruled that İmamoğlu’s detention on corruption charges alone was sufficient, allowing the Republican People’s party (CHP) to select a candidate to control the Istanbul municipality. İmamoğlu has denied the accusations, calling his detention “politically motivated” and harmful to Turkey’s international reputation and public trust. His arrest has sparked mass protests across Turkey, with tens of thousands taking to the streets each night, clashing with police. However, Turkish officials have rejected any suggestion that the arrest was politically motivated. Despite a protest ban, demonstrations continue to fill university campuses, public squares, and the area surrounding Istanbul’s city hall. Erdoğan has labeled the protests as “street terrorism” and called for an end to the CHP and its supporters disrupting public order and disturbing national peace. The Istanbul mayor won his seat twice in 2019 after an initial vote was annulled by officials following complaints from Erdoğan’s Justice and Development party. The CHP leader, Özgur Özel, has accused Erdoğan and his government of arresting İmamoğlu over fears of election loss. Istanbul University stripped İmamoğlu of his university diploma before his arrest, preventing him

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/23/istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-arrested-pre-trial-detention