Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has declared jailed opposition leader and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election. A party spokesperson confirmed this to AFP on Monday.
CHP, a center-left political party, is currently Turkey’s largest opposition force. Imamoglu, 58, is one of its top leaders. On March 19, he was detained in a special operation, and later, on Sunday, he was formally arrested and taken to court. Turkish police and state prosecutors have charged him with bribery, extortion, illegal data recording, tender manipulation, and links to a criminal organization. The court accepted these charges and ordered his imprisonment.
However, Imamoglu has denied all allegations. Before being taken into custody, he stated, “I will never bow my head.”
A Popular Political Figure
Imamoglu gained national prominence in 2019 when he won Istanbul’s mayoral election. The Supreme Election Council of Turkey initially annulled the results, but in the re-election, he won with an even larger margin. This victory established him as a key figure in Turkey’s opposition movement.
Recently, Imamoglu announced his candidacy for the 2028 presidential election, but days later, on March 19, he was arrested.
Nationwide Protests
His arrest has sparked mass protests across Turkey. As of Sunday, rallies in support of Imamoglu had taken place in 55 out of 81 provinces, according to a Paris-based news agency. On Sunday night, Turkey witnessed its most intense unrest in over a decade, with tear gas and rubber bullets used against demonstrators.
Government’s Allegations
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have accused Imamoglu and CHP of having secret ties with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, both Imamoglu and CHP leaders have strongly denied these accusations.
Currently, Imamoglu is being held in Silivri Prison in Istanbul. His imprisonment has been compared to the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which erupted over government plans to demolish a park.