March 20, 2025 (EIRNS)—Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been detained on charges of corruption and alleged terror links, with his party calling it a “coup.” RT reported on March 19: “The arrest comes just before the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was set to nominate him to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 election.
“Imamoglu, a leading figure in the CHP, gained prominence after winning the Istanbul mayoral election in 2019, ending more than two decades of control by Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the city of 19 million. Recent opinion polls have indicated that Imamoglu could defeat Erdogan in a presidential vote.”
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel condemned the arrest, describing it as “a coup against our next President.” Despite the detention, CHP plans to proceed with its scheduled primary on March 23.
The protests are massive, as shown on world news sites. Authorities have responded by banning demonstrations in the city for four days and reportedly restricting access to social media platforms, measures unlikely to have any impact.
