Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu Detained Amid Widening Crackdown on Opposition

Turkish authorities have detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key opposition figure and leading challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the government intensifies its crackdown on political rivals.

İmamoğlu’s arrest on Wednesday follows an investigation into alleged ties to a pro-Kurdish political group that reportedly supported his 2024 mayoral re-election campaign, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Political Turmoil Ahead of 2028 Elections

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was set to name İmamoğlu as its presidential candidate in a primary scheduled for Sunday. While national elections are set for 2028, the party hoped that nominating its candidate early would pressure parliament into calling a snap election.

CHP leader Özgür Özel denounced the detention, calling it “an attempted coup against our next president.”

Following the arrest, financial markets reacted sharply—the Turkish lira plunged by as much as 10% against the US dollar, and the benchmark BIST 100 index dropped nearly 7% in early trading.

Erdoğan’s Escalating Crackdown

President Erdoğan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has been accused of steering the country toward increasing authoritarianism, particularly after surviving a failed coup attempt in 2016. In recent weeks, his government has escalated efforts to suppress opposition voices, targeting politicians, journalists, academics, and even an astrologer who made election-related predictions.

İmamoğlu, the highest-profile figure caught in this crackdown, has already faced multiple legal probes over his political statements.

“Hundreds of police are at my door,” he said in a voice message released by his office. “This immoral and tyrannical approach will undoubtedly be overturned by the will and resilience of our people.”

Widespread Restrictions and Public Outrage

Dilek İmamoğlu, the mayor’s wife, revealed that police arrived at their home just after they finished the pre-dawn Ramadan meal of sahur, taking him into custody at around 7:30 AM. He is currently being held at a central Istanbul police station.

Authorities have also issued arrest warrants for 99 other individuals and imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations in Istanbul. Social media platforms, including X, Instagram, and YouTube, have faced access restrictions, according to global internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

Adding to the political tensions, Istanbul University revoked İmamoğlu’s higher education degree a day before his detention, a move that could disqualify him from running for president unless overturned on appeal.

İmamoğlu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor last year by a decisive 11-point margin, as voters punished Erdoğan’s ruling party for its handling of Turkey’s prolonged economic crisis. His arrest marks a critical moment in Turkey’s political landscape, with growing concerns over democratic backsliding and the suppression of opposition figures.