Turkish police -Pepperspray protesters in Istanbul
Police officers saw Pepper who spraying demonstrators while people gathered to support the mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu near the building of the metropolitan municipality of Istanbul, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025 (Credit: Reuters)
A Turkish court on Sunday Prisoner mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu, the most important political rival of President Tayyip Erdogan, awaiting trial about accusations of corruption, in a movement that will probably inflam the largest protests in the country in more than a decade.
The decision to send Imamoglu to prison comes after the most important opposition party, European leaders And tens of thousands of demonstrators criticized the actions against him as politicized and undemocratic.
While the courtroom developments unfolded, there were signs that the mayor’s problems were the opposition against Erdogan’s government, which led Turkey for 22 years.
Thousands of members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and non-members flowed nationally into polling stations to choose Imamoglu to choose its candidate in a future presidential vote.
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The non-member mood will be closely viewed as an indicator of how much support the widely popular imamoglu enjoys outside the religious party.
Imamoglu has denied the charges with which he is confronted as “unimaginable accusations and defamation” and called for national protests on Sunday. “We will pull this coup away, this dark spot on our democracy, all together,” he said.
Images showed what broadcasters said was that he was brought to the Silivri prison in a police officer.
Imamoglu was removed from the service, together with two other mayors, said a statement from the Ministry of the Interior.
A demonstrant has a placard that ‘reads from secondary schools to the street’, for police officers, during the day that mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was imprisoned as part of a corruption study, in Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey, Turkey, 23 March 2025. Reuter Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bektas/Umit Bekta (Reuters/Urit Bektas)
The government denies that investigations are politically motivated and says that courts are independent.
A national ban on street meetings was extended for another four days on Saturday, but protests and skirmishes with the police went through the night in big cities.
Thousands pressed outside the courthouse at night and early on Sunday awaiting the statements about Imamoglu.
The court said that Imamoglu, 54, and at least 20 others were imprisoned as part of a corruption investigation, one of the two that was opened against him last week.
It said he was arrested for “setting up and leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, embezzlement, the illegal registration of personal data and the preparation of public tenders in connection with a financial investigation”.
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The prisoner dops for a months of legal action against opposition figures and the removal of other chosen officials from his office, in what critics called a government attempt to harm their election perspectives.
Six of the 27 municipal mayors of the CHP are now arrested – one year after opposition parties have handed over the AK party of Erdogan, his worst defeat ever in the elections.
The CHP opened the party survey stations for non-members on Sunday to release “solidarity votes” for Imamoglu, who was the only name on the vote for presidential candidate.
A demonstrator who wears Derwish clothing lies on the ground, during a protest on the day that mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu was imprisoned as part of a corruption study, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025. Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis (Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis)
CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel predicted millions of voices of non-members, and said that Imamoglu “is on his way to prison but also to the presidency”.
No general elections are planned until 2028.
But as Erdogan, 71, who has led Turkey The parliament will run again for 22 years, the parliament should support an earlier election, because the president will have reached his limit on that date. Imamoglu leads Erdogan in some opinion polls.
Imamoglu is also confronted with the charges of terrorism, but the court has not formally on him that arrested at the same time.
A future statement to submit him to the trial against terrorism-related charges pending the process can enable the government to appoint a trustee to run Istanbul. A conviction could prevent him from riding for president.
The CHP said it would appeal against the ruling and choose someone to work as an acting mayor.
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Shortly after the court’s decision, the mayor finally promised to defeat Erdogan and said that those who conducted the investigation would be held responsible.
“Imamoglu has Erdogan’s … become a nightmare,” said Mehmet Karatas, an opposition supporter, outside the courthouse. “We will make Ekrem imamoglu president.”
The detention of Imamoglu has roasted markets, with the Turkish lira, shares and bonds that have been running serious decreases since Wednesday. Analysts expect more sales pressure after prison.
Governor of the Turkish central bank Fatih Karahan met board members of Turkey’s Banks Association (TBB) on Sunday.
Police officers use PepperSpray on demonstrators during a protest on the day that mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu was imprisoned as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025. Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis (Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis)
The central bank will use all instruments within market rules effectively and decisively to maintain stability, Karahan told bankers, the TBB said.
Civil disobedience has been dramatically decorated in Turkey since the National Gezi Park protests against the government of Erdogan in 2013, which led to one violent state performing.
Nevertheless, thousands again gathered outside the building of the municipality of Istanbul and the most important courthouse on Saturday evening. Hundreds of police used tear gas and pepper spray to spread protesters, while the crowd hurled fireworks and other objects.
Although most demonstrations have been peaceful, demonstrators also clashed with the police in the western coastal province of Izmir and the capital Ankara for a third night in a row, with the police firing some water.
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Authorities have held more than 300 people during protests.
Additional reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever, Mert Ozkan and Mehmet Emin Caliskan; Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Edit by Daniel Wallis, William Mallard, David Goodman, Alison Williams and Giles Elgood
