Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu Jailed Pending Trial on Corruption Charges

• Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu jailed pending trial on corruption charges; calls arrest a “betrayal against Turkiye.”

• Court avoids pressing terror charges, allowing the opposition-led municipal council to appoint an acting mayor.

• Opposition and international leaders decry arrest as politically motivated; Erdogan denies any political interference.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been formally jailed pending trial on corruption charges, following his detention last week that sparked widespread protests across Turkey.

Imamoglu was transferred on Sunday to Marmara Prison near Istanbul’s Silivri district, where he vowed to resist what he called an assault on democracy and called for continued nationwide demonstrations.

EKO HOT BLOG  gathered that the court in Istanbul ruled that Imamoglu and at least 20 others would remain in custody as part of a financial crimes investigation.

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While authorities cited suspicions of aiding an armed terrorist organisation, the court stated that since Imamoglu is already being held for corruption, no additional action on terror-related allegations was necessary at this stage.

Following his arrest, Turkey’s Interior Ministry announced Imamoglu’s removal from his mayoral duties. However, since he was not charged with terrorism, the government cannot appoint a trustee to lead Istanbul’s city government.

Instead, a new acting mayor will be elected by the municipal council, where Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) holds the majority.

Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu reported from Istanbul that several of those arrested alongside Imamoglu have been released pending trial. CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said the party will file legal appeals and confirmed the council would soon appoint an interim leader.

Imamoglu, a key opposition figure and potential challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, denounced his detention as “a betrayal against Turkiye” and described the legal process as “a complete extrajudicial execution.” In a post on social media, he declared, “I am standing tall, I will not bow down.”

The move has been met with criticism both domestically and internationally. Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, a close ally of Imamoglu, called the court’s decision “a disgrace to the judicial system.”

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European leaders and opposition supporters have likewise condemned the proceedings as politically motivated, an accusation the Erdogan-led government denies.

In response to mounting criticism, President Erdogan accused the CHP of shielding corrupt officials and inciting unrest.

“They have turned the party into an apparatus to absolve a handful of municipal robbers who have become blinded by money,” he said, blaming the opposition for polarizing the nation.

Imamoglu has consistently denied the corruption and terrorism allegations, dismissing them as part of a political smear campaign.

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