Turkish court rejects appeal to release Imamoglu as protests persist
The Istanbul mayor’s lawyers appealed his arrest last week, saying that there was no flight risk for the main opposition presidential contender.
ANKARA — Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s appeal for release was rejected by a Turkish court on Monday, as the key rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains behind bars for nearly 25 days.
Imamoglu, a presidential contender from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained on March 19 and subsequently jailed on March 23 on corruption charges. He denies any wrongdoing.
Imamoglu’s lawyers appealed his arrest last week, claiming that there was no flight risk for the Istanbul mayor. An Istanbul court rejected the appeal on Monday, Turkey’s Ihlas News Agency and other outlets reported.
Government critics say the arrest was politically motivated, leading to nationwide mass protests and calls for economic boycotts since he was taken into detention. The Turkish government denies the accusation, insisting that the judiciary operates independently.
While protests across the country have become more sporadic, demonstrations led by university students are still ongoing in major cities such as Istanbul, the capital Ankara and the Aegean port city of Izmir.
On Saturday night, hundreds of students gathered in Izmir to condemn Imamoglu’s detention, chanting “Government, resign!” The crowd dispersed peacefully.
Among the more than 1,000 people — mostly university students — who were arrested over their alleged involvement in the protests and boycotts since March 19, roughly 250 have been released from jail.
Meanwhile, the CHP on Sunday held the first of what is planned as a series of countrywide rallies in a bid to shore up support against Imamoglu’s arrest.
The first rally was held in Turkey’s Black Sea province of Samsun, the city where modern Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, initiated the War of Independence against Allied forces in 1919.
“Those who came to power through elections do not want to leave power through elections — this is called a coup,” Ozgur Ozel, the chairman of the CHP, said, addressing tens of thousands gathered in Samsun.
Ozel added that the petition launched last week calling for Imamoglu’s release has gathered nearly 10 million signatures.
Imamoglu’s arrest has solidified the ranks of the opposition and united voters across the political spectrum. On April 6, the CHP held an extraordinary convention in which incumbent leader and sole candidate Ozel secured a whopping 1,170 of 1,276 votes to remain party chief.
The convention was held amid growing concerns that the government’s crackdown on Imamoglu could soon expand to the party itself. Some members fear that authorities may attempt to seize control of the CHP by citing alleged irregularities in its 2023 convention. In February, Ankara prosecutors launched an investigation into the party linked to the convention over thinly substantiated allegations that voters were given bribes in exchange for supporting Ozel.
