Istanbul mayor arrest was to stop presidency bid; opposition

Thousands of people in Turkey took to the street on Thursday to protest the detention of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.

from running for the president of Turkey would only strengthen the party's support, Ozgur Ozel from the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition party, said Imamoglu was taken into custody because he represented a threat to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's more than two decades in power. 

According to Ozel, who spoke in an interview with Reuters, any candidate would beat Erdogan in fair elections.

"We believe Imamoglu will win. If his candidacy is blocked, we believe this will turn into much greater support," he said. 

Imamoglu has been considered Erdogan's main rival and ahead of the president in some polls. He was expected to announce his intention to run in the presidential election.

"We as a nation must stand against this evil. This is my call," Imamoglu posted on X in a message transmitted via his lawyers.

Critics see the crackdown on opposition voices as an attempt by Erdogan to cement his position as the country's leader.

Turkish government officials rejected the claim the arrests were politically motivated.

Mayor accused of corruption, PKK cooperation

Ozel also said he believed Erdogan would sever any ties the Turkish opposition has with Istanbul by appointing a trustee to lead Turkey's largest city.

The opposition plans to react by staging the "strongest democratic reaction" to any such move, Ozel said.

Ozel was speaking from the Istanbul municipal headquarters, where he said he would remain until Imamoglu is released.

Imamoglu was arrested on Wednesday due to charges of graft and aiding a terrorist group, with the opposition labeling the move a "coup attempt." The arrest sparked nationwide protests despite a four-day ban on demonstrations in the city.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested on suspicion of corruption and cooperation with the PKKImage: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

According to the prosecutors, Imamoglo is accused of misusing his position for financial gain. In another investigation, Imamoglu is accused of helping the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and other countries, by allegedly forming an alliance with Kurdish groups for the Istanbul municipal elections.

Other arrests were also made, including two Istanbul district mayors.

'Very, very bad sign'

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya also said authorities arrested dozens of people for sharing "provocative" content on social media related to the mayor's arrest.

Yerlikaya said that out of 261 social media accounts identified by the Turkish authorities to have allegedly incited public hatred or crime, 37 suspects were detained, with 62 other accounts being based abroad.

The Istanbul mayor's detention also triggered comments from Germany.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the arrest a "very, very bad sign" for Turkey's relations with the European Union.

"We can only call for this to end immediately and for the opposition and government to stand in competition with each other, and not the opposition being brought to court," Scholz said.

Edited by: Sean Sinico