Ekrem Imamoglu
What Happened to Ekrem İmamoğlu?
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the elected Mayor of Istanbul and the presidential candidate of Türkiye’s main opposition CHP, has been imprisoned since March 19, 2025, on legally baseless charges.
Editor
His detention came just four days before CHP’s open primaries, in which more than 15.5 million Turkish citizens voted for him as their candidate in the next presidential election. The timing of his imprisonment left no doubt: this was a political move to silence him.
Since his arrest, the government has escalated its crackdown. İmamoğlu’s photos have been banned from public spaces, his voice is censored, and his social media accounts blocked. Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators — from students to farmers to municipal workers — have been detained in nationwide protests.
What is being silenced is not just a political figure, but a democratic movement.
Why Was He Arrested?
The charges against İmamoğlu fall into two categories:
- Corruption Allegations: He is accused of financial misconduct in municipal tenders, despite having no signature authority over tenders under Turkish law. Multiple official audits, including by the government’s own Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), found no evidence of wrongdoing. Yet he was arrested based largely on hearsay from anonymous witnesses.
- Terrorism Allegations: Prosecutors claim that CHP candidate lists included individuals linked to a Kurdish political platform, affiliated with the outlawed terrorist organization called PKK, which has recently disbanded itself. But all candidates were approved by the Supreme Election Council — Türkiye’s highest electoral authority. İmamoğlu had no personal involvement, and no disqualifications were issued.
Dozens of İmamoğlu’s colleagues have also been jailed. His legal team faces severe restrictions. There is no public indictment and no credible case.
What This Means for Democracy in Türkiye?
İmamoğlu’s imprisonment is a clear sign that Türkiye’s democracy is under assault. Courts have been politicized. Peaceful dissent is criminalized. Elections are no longer free when popular candidates are removed by judicial maneuver.
In 2019, İmamoğlu was elected Mayor of Istanbul, defeating the ruling party’s candidate. That victory was annulled by Türkiye’s Supreme Election Council under political pressure. But he ran again and won in a landslide, ending 25 years of one-party rule in Türkiye’s largest city.
In 2024, he was re-elected with an even wider margin — a result that reaffirmed his leadership and paved the way for his presidential candidacy.
The government responded not at the ballot box, but in the courtroom.
Why the World Should Care?
Türkiye is not just another country in crisis. As a NATO member, a long-time EU candidate, and a regional power in the Balkans, Caucasus, and Middle East, Türkiye’s political direction significantly impacts global security, migration, and democratic norms.
The rise of authoritarianism in Türkiye strengthens alliances with illiberal regimes, emboldens autocrats and weakens Europe’s strategic democratic core. If the mayor of Europe’s largest city can be jailed for running against the government, the precedent is global.
This is not just Türkiye’s fight; it is a test for all who believe in free elections, the rule of law, and human rights.
Who Is Ekrem İmamoğlu?
Born in 1970 in Trabzon, İmamoğlu studied business administration and human resources at Istanbul University. After a successful career in the private sector, he entered politics with the CHP in 2008 and became Mayor of Istanbul’s Beylikdüzü district in 2014.
In office, İmamoğlu introduced the “Istanbul Model” — a new approach to governance based on transparency, participation, and social solidarity. His administration expanded social services, democratized city planning, championed climate action, and increased support for youth and women.
He also led Türkiye’s cities onto the international stage. In 2021, he launched the B40 Balkan Cities Network to promote urban cooperation across Southeast Europe. In 2023, he convened the first ever Megacities Summit in Istanbul. He later initiated the MENA Network for municipalities in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2024, he was elected President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, representing the voice of 1,400 local administrations nationwide.
Türkiye and Global Voices Say: #FreeImamoglu
Mayors, MPs, think tanks, and global institutions are speaking out. For months, Turkish people from all backgrounds have been demonstrating peacefully for İmamoğlu’s release.
European Parliament, Council of Europe, Eurocities and Socialist International have also expressed solidarity. Mayors have shown solidarity by using his image on city halls and Paris awarded him with honorary citizenship. International media, human rights lawyers, and civic groups are mobilizing for his release.
What You Can Do?
Share the facts. Post using #FreeImamoglu. Demand that your governments acts.
Raise your voice for democracy.
This is not just Türkiye’s crisis. It is our collective fight for freedom.
#FreeImamoglu
