Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu charged with corruption amid protests in Türkiye
Topic:World Politics
18m ago18 minutes agoSun 23 Mar 2025 at 9:40am
Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu speaking with a microphone wearing a suit
Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, pictured speaking in January, has been formally charged. (Reuters: File photo/Dilara Senkaya)
In short:
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is formally arrested and charged with corruption, after a fourth night of mass protests sparked heavy clashes with riot police in Türkiye.
The news came as voters cast their ballots in a CHP primary to name Mr Imamoglu the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
The unrest has spread rapidly despite a protest ban in Türkiye's three largest cities and a warning from Mr Erdogan that authorities would not tolerate "street terror".
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been formally arrested and charged with corruption on Sunday, after a fourth night of mass protests sparked heavy clashes with riot police in Türkiye.
A Turkish court is also due to rule on a second "terror-related" probe into the popular opposition mayor, whose detention has sparked the country's worst street protests in more than a decade.
"No despair! Keep fighting!" wrote the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on X, denouncing it as "a political coup d'etat", meaning a sudden overthrow of the government by a small group.
Police hold shields while a protester sets off a flare in front of them
Protesters march against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Türkiye. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
The news came as voters cast their ballots in a CHP primary to name Mr Imamoglu the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
The long-planned vote was the event which triggered the arrest of Mr Imamoglu, who is widely seen as the only politician capable of challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He was detained in connection with two probes alleging graft and "aiding a terror organisation" — accusations that he told police were "immoral and baseless".
The move against him sparked protests in Istanbul that have since spread to more than 55 of Turkey's 81 provinces, unleashing running battles with police, who arrested 323 people overnight, officials said.
What happened during the protests?
During the protests, police used rubber bullets, pepper spray and percussion grenades on the protesters, toughening their methods throughout the night and forcing people to take refuge inside a city hall building, an AFP correspondent said.
A man claps his hand in front of Turkish flags
Protesters shout slogans as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. (AP: Francisco Seco)
In the capital Ankara, police used a water cannon to push back protesters, while in the western coastal city of Izmir police blocked a student march headed towards the local offices of the ruling AKP party.
"Dictators are cowards!" and "AKP, you will not silence us!" read some protesters' placards.
The nightly protests began shortly after Imamoglu was taken to the courthouse to answer prosecutors' questions in the two investigations.
Police set up a tight security barrier around the courthouse, where around 1,000 protesters stood nearby shouting slogans, an AFP correspondent said.
A protester wears a the Turkey flag and stands infront of a line of police with shields outside a government buillding
Protesters gather outside the Caglayan courthouse to protest Mr Imamoglu's arrest. (AP: Photo/Emrah Gurel)
The CHP said the vote was open to everyone, not just members, in the hope of a massive show of support for Mr Imamoglu.
"We are casting our vote to support President Ekrem: for democracy, justice and the future," said his wife, Dilek Kaya Imamoglu, on X.
"We are not afraid and we will never give up."
People put an envelop into a clear container at a polling station
People cast their ballots in a CHP polling station. (AP: Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)
Earlier, opposition leader and CHP head Ozgur Ozel said he and the mayor's wife had been allowed to spend five minutes with Mr Imamoglu after the prosecution ended its all-night interrogation.
"He said this process had led to a great awakening for Türkiye, which he was happy about," Mr Ozel said.
Turkish lira slides
On Saturday, the 53-year-old mayor denied the charges against him, telling police his arrest had done untold damage to Türkiye's image, in a statement released by City Hall.
"This process has not only harmed Türkiye's international reputation but has also shattered the public's sense of justice and trust in the economy," he said.
The move against him badly hurt the lira and caused chaos in Türkiye's financial markets, with the benchmark BIST 100 index closing on Friday nearly eight per cent lower.
"We are here today to stand up for the candidate we voted for," 30-year-old Aykut Cenk told AFP outside the court, holding a Turkish flag.
"We are not the enemy of the state, but what is happening is unlawful."
The unrest has spread rapidly despite a protest ban in Türkiye's three largest cities and a warning from Mr Erdogan that authorities would not tolerate "street terror".
ABC/AFP
Posted18m ago18 minutes agoSun 23 Mar 2025 at 9:40am
Copy link
X (formerly Twitter)