Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading political challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been formally arrested and charged with corruption. İmamoğlu, widely expected to be chosen as the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for the 2028 presidential election, denies the allegations, calling them politically motivated. “I will never bow,” he declared after being remanded in custody pending trial.
His arrest has ignited some of Turkey’s most significant protests in over a decade. Thousands have taken to the streets in cities across the country, defying government bans on public gatherings. Erdoğan has condemned the demonstrations, accusing the CHP of attempting to "disturb the peace and sow division."
İmamoğlu was among more than 100 individuals—including politicians, journalists, and business figures—detained as part of a broad investigation. On Sunday, he was formally charged with multiple offenses, including "establishing and managing a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, illegal data collection, and tender rigging." Prosecutors also sought to charge him with "aiding an armed terrorist organization," though the court deemed this unnecessary at the time.
The CHP has previously worked in a de facto alliance with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), which the Turkish government alleges has links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)—a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, the UK, and the US. The PKK recently declared a ceasefire after decades of insurgency.
A day before İmamoğlu’s arrest, Istanbul University announced it was revoking his degree over alleged irregularities—a move that could jeopardize his presidential bid, as Turkey’s constitution requires candidates to have completed higher education.
Erdoğan, who has ruled Turkey for 22 years as both prime minister and president, faces term limits that bar him from running again in 2028 unless he changes the constitution. Opposition leaders argue that İmamoğlu’s detention is an attempt to eliminate a major rival from the race. However, Turkey’s justice ministry has dismissed allegations of political interference, asserting the judiciary’s independence.
For four consecutive nights, protests have spread nationwide, with demonstrators chanting slogans like “Rights, law, justice.” In Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, riot police have clashed with crowds, using tear gas, water cannons, and mass arrests to suppress dissent. On Friday night alone, 343 protesters were detained. Despite heavy police presence, many demonstrators insist their fight is about democracy rather than partisan politics.
“I’m here for justice and liberty,” one protester told the BBC, refusing to give her name out of fear. Another, who brought her young son to the protests, voiced concern for his future: “It’s becoming harder to live in Turkey. We have no control over our lives or choices, and justice is nonexistent.”
As tensions escalate, Erdoğan’s government continues efforts to quell the unrest, extending bans on gatherings and deploying security forces in key cities. However, protesters remain defiant, seeing İmamoğlu’s arrest as a symbol of a broader struggle for democratic freedoms in Turkey.