Turkish authorities on Wednesday detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on charges including leading a crime organization, bribery and aiding a terrorist group, just days before his anticipated nomination as a presidential candidate, the main opposition party CHP confirmed.
İmamoğlu, who on Sunday was due to be nominated as CHP’s presidential candidate, had been taken into police custody and was at police headquarters, an aide confirmed to dpa.
The detention order by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office, seen by dpa, labelled the mayor a “criminal organization leader” and charged him with charges including leading a criminal organization, bribery and extortion.
State news agency Anadolu reported that İmamoğlu was also facing two separate investigations that include charges of leading a crime organization, bribery and aiding a terrorist group.
Prosecutors charge Imamoglu and six others with aiding the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), according to Anadolu. Broadcaster Halk TV reported that the terror charge may allow the government to replace İmamoğlu with a public official.
The order said that 99 people were charged together with İmamoğlu and that “simultaneous detention, search, and asset seizure operations were ordered by the Financial Crimes Unit of Istanbul Police.”
The office of the governor of Istanbul province imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations, gatherings and press statements due to last until Sunday. Roads leading to the Istanbul mayor’s office, police headquarteres and central Taksim Square were blocked on Wednesday morning as part of the ban.
CHP leader Özgür Özel confirmed that İmamoğlu had been detained detained.
Speaking on broadcaster Halk TV, Özel called the operation against İmamoğlu an attempt to block Sunday’s planned nomination as CHP’s presidential candidate.
İmamoğlu, a high-profile critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is widely seen as a potential challenger in Turkey’s next presidential race.
Özel said that “Erdoğan is aware Imamoglu is going to beat him in the elections. Turkey is at the moment facing a coup attempt against the next potential president,” Özel added referring to İmamoğlu.
The CHP leader went on to say that İmamoğlu was still going to be the party’s candidate for the presidential election.
“Whether İmamoğlu is in jail or not, I call on everyone to come to the ballot box on Sunday to repel this coup attempt,” Özel said.
İmamoğlu said in a video message shared on X that he would “stand tall” against what he called political pressure.
The action taken by the prosecuting authorities against İmamoğlu came a day after his university degree, a prerequisite for running for president as per Turkey’s constitution, was revoked.
The diploma was reportedly revoked over an alleged illegal university transfer in the early 1990s. İmamoğlu said he would appeal against the decision in court, but had lost faith in fair judgments.
He already faces possible prison sentences and political bans in a number of ongoing cases.
The mayor’s lawyer Kemal Polat had told dpa before the arrest warrant became known that İmamoğlu could only stand as a presidential candidate when all legal avenues against the decision had been exhausted.
The next presidential elections in Turkey are scheduled to take place in 2028.
Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Istanbul, speaks during a reception in the city hall in Duesseldorf. Oliver Berg/dpa
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