Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has firmly declared that he will not be intimidated, despite a court ruling that has placed him under arrest pending trial in a corruption investigation.
“Together, we will stand united against this blow, this dark mark on our democracy… I remain resolute; I will not be subdued,” Mr. İmamoğlu stated in a recent post on X.
This ruling came just four days after his detention ignited the worst civil unrest Turkey has seen in over a decade. Currently, Mr. İmamoğlu is among 100 individuals being scrutinized for corruption, and he is also facing a second investigation concerning “terror-related” allegations. The court is anticipated to issue its verdict on these new charges shortly.
The court noted, “While there exists substantial suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organization, the decision to arrest him for financial crimes has been made, rendering further detention unnecessary at this time.”
Mr. İmamoğlu has adamantly rejected the charges, referring to them as “unimaginable accusations and slanders.”
Illustrating the growing tension, thousands gathered outside the Istanbul municipality building and the main courthouse yesterday as hundreds of police officers employed tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd, which retaliated with firecrackers and other projectiles.
This unrest spread to the western coastal province of Izmir and the capital city of Ankara, where protests continued for a third consecutive night, resulting in police using water cannons against demonstrators.
In total, Turkish authorities have detained 323 individuals amid these protests, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. “No attempts to disrupt public order will be tolerated,” he affirmed in an official statement.
Demonstrations have also surfaced in Dublin, where supporters of Mr. İmamoğlu have been congregating on O’Connell Street daily since Wednesday and are planning further protests in St. Stephen’s Green today. A representative from the Democratic Türkiye Community in Ireland criticized the Turkish authorities for transforming the nation into an “open-air prison,” labeling Mr. İmamoğlu’s arrest as a “political coup.”
Despite these escalating tensions, the Turkish government has refuted any allegations of influence, maintaining that the judiciary operates independently.
As for Mr. İmamoğlu, the 54-year-old politician, who has been leading in various opinion polls against President Erdogan, was expected to be appointed as the CHP’s official presidential candidate within the next few days. While the next presidential election is scheduled for 2028, President Erdogan, having already exhausted his two-term limit, would need to call for an early election or amend the constitution to run again.
With claims of unrest being stoked, President Erdogan accused the CHP of attempting to “provoke” the populace and firmly stated that acts of vandalism would not be tolerated.
“In these challenging times, the resilience of our democracy must shine through,” Mr. İmamoğlu emphasized, a sentiment that resonates deeply within the hearts of many of his supporters.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
