Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu Detained on Corruption Charges
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Synopsis
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested over corruption allegations, including bribery and fraud. Following his interrogation, he was taken to court amid claims of political motivation behind the arrests. Thousands protested across Turkey, highlighting tensions between the government and opposition parties.
Key Takeaways
- Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested on corruption charges.
- Accusations include bribery and qualified fraud.
- He denies all allegations against him.
- Protests erupted across Turkey, highlighting political tensions.
- Imamoglu is a candidate for the 2028 presidential elections.
Istanbul, March 23 (NationPress) The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was formally apprehended on Sunday due to corruption allegations, according to various media outlets.
The state-run Anadolu news agency in Turkey reported that Imamoglu is accused of bribery, corruption, qualified fraud, unlawfully acquiring personal information for financial gain, and manipulating a tender.
He had been under investigation at the Istanbul Police Headquarters since his arrest on Wednesday, linked to two inquiries concerning terrorism and corruption.
After his police interrogation concluded, he was taken to the primary courthouse around 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Saturday with significant police presence for further legal actions. Imamoglu has denied all allegations against him.
In relation to the terrorism case, Imamoglu was released under judicial supervision, facing accusations of assisting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, categorized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU, and the US, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
In February, Imamoglu submitted his application to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to be a presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.
The CHP is anticipated to officially name Imamoglu as its candidate following a vote among party members, which commenced at 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and is scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Sunday.
He was re-elected for a second term as the mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, after a significant win in the local elections held in 2024 against his opponent Murat Kurum, a candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party.
President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday accused the leadership of the CHP of transforming the party into a tool to exonerate a few municipal thieves who are blinded by wealth.
He also claimed that it is doing everything to disrupt public tranquility and to divide the nation.
Opposition leaders assert that the arrests are politically driven. However, the Ministry of Justice has condemned those who associate Erdogan with the arrests and emphasized its judicial independence.
Thousands have taken to the streets throughout Turkey in predominantly peaceful demonstrations. Authorities attempted to suppress protests with a four-day prohibition on all gatherings in Istanbul, which was later extended to Ankara and Izmir as the demonstrations spread.
