Turkish Police Arrest Istanbul Mayor, Erdogan Rival

 By Staff, Agencies

Turkish police detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from his home on Wednesday, just one day after his university revoked his diploma—a decision that could prevent him from running in the next presidential election.

Prosecutors accused Imamoglu of leading a criminal network involved in extortion and separately charged him with terrorism-related offences, alleging a coalition between him and the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK] ahead of last year's local elections.

Imamoglu has been campaigning to become the main opposition Republican People’s Party [CHP]’s presidential candidate, a nomination expected to be announced in April. He is widely regarded as one of the most formidable rivals to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was also once the mayor of Istanbul.

His detention comes a year after his victory in the Istanbul mayoral elections, where he was re-elected with 51.14% of the vote.

The prosecutor's charges against key opposition figure provide the government with a means to unseat him exactly one year after his re-election.

The next presidential election is scheduled for 2028, but an early vote is considered likely.

Imamoglu’s detention follows a series of investigations and lawsuits against him, with the most serious charges carrying a potential prison sentence of over seven years and a political ban.

On Monday, Imamoglu stated that his diploma had been revoked unlawfully.

In an audio message relayed by his lawyers to journalists, he described the presence of more than a hundred police officers outside his residence as “tyranny.” He accused Erdogan of orchestrating the case against him, saying, “This nation will hold these few people accountable before justice.”

Ozgur Ozel, chairman of the CHP, described Imamoglu’s detention as a “civil coup” against the will of the people in a statement on X.

Turkish media reported that detention orders had been issued for around 100 other individuals linked to Imamoglu, including Istanbul district mayors, politicians, and prominent dissident journalist Ismail Saymaz.

The Istanbul governor’s office ordered the closure of several major streets and roads in the city, as well as key transportation hubs, while imposing a four-day ban on protests.