Turkish court jails Istanbul mayor Imamoglu pending trial

ISTANBUL - A Turkish court jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 23 pending trial, state media and other broadcasters said, in a move likely to stoke the country’s biggest protests in more than decade.

Imamoglu, a key opposition figure and potential challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was

detained on March 19

on charges such as graft and aiding a terrorist group.

The decision to send Imamoglu to jail comes after the main opposition party, European leaders and tens of thousands of protesters criticised the actions against him as politicised and undemocratic.

Imamoglu has denied the charges, calling them “unimaginable accusations and slanders”.

“I am standing tall, I will never bow down,” Imamoglu said on X, calling on supporters not to lose hope. “We will rip away this coup, this dark stain on our democracy all together.”

The government denies that investigations are politically motivated and says courts are independent. It has warned against protests, especially given a nationwide ban on street gatherings that was extended on March 22 for four more days.

As the courtroom developments unfolded early on March 23, members of Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition against Mr Erdogan’s ruling alliance, were preparing to anoint Imamoglu as its candidate for the next presidential election.

He is the only nominee and hundreds of people had flocked to polling stations for the election to show support after the court ruling, after protests and skirmishes with police continued through the night in major cities.

No general election is scheduled until 2028. But if Mr Erdogan, who has led Turkey for 22 years, is to run again, Parliament would need to back an earlier election since the president will have reached his limit by that date. Imamoglu is leading Mr Erdogan in some opinion polls.

The court said Imamoglu, 54, and at least 20 others were jailed as part of a corruption investigation, one of two that were opened against him last week.

In a statement, the court said Imamoglu was arrested for “establishing and leading a criminal organisation, accepting bribes, embezzlement, unlawfully recording personal data, and rigging public tenders in connection with a financial investigation”.

Market turmoil

Imamoglu is also facing terrorism charges, but was not formally arrested on those at the same time.

“Although there is strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organisation, since it has already been decided that he will be arrested for financial crimes, (his arrest) is not deemed necessary at this stage,” the court said.

A future court ruling to jail him pending trial on terrorism-related charges could pave the way for the government to appoint a trustee to run the country’s largest city. A conviction could lead to him being ruled out of running for the presidency.

The CHP said it would file an appeal against the ruling and elect someone to work as acting mayor.

Shortly after the court ruling, the defiant mayor said he would not give up and vowed to defeat Mr Erdogan, while saying those who ran the investigation would be held accountable eventually.

“Fear does not change your fate! You will lose one way or another,” Imamoglu said in the post on X, in a reference to Mr Erdogan.

Thousands crowded outside the courthouse overnight and early on March 23, as they awaited the rulings on the mayor.

“Imamoglu has become Erdogan’s...nightmare....We will make Ekrem Imamoglu president,” opposition supporter Mehmet Karatas said outside the courthouse.

Imamoglu’s detention has roiled markets, with the Turkish lira, stocks and bonds suffering heavy declines since March 20.

Turkish Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan will meet with board members of Turkey’s Banks Association on March 23 to discuss developments in the market, three banking sources with the knowledge of the matter said. The central bank declined to comment.

On March 22, thousands of people gathered outside the Istanbul municipality building and the main courthouse, with hundreds of police officers stationed at both locations using tear gas and pepper spray pellets to disperse protesters, as the crowd hurled firecrackers and other objects at them.

Though most demonstrations have been peaceful,

protesters also clashed with police

in the western coastal province of Izmir and the capital Ankara for a third night in a row, with police firing water cannon at the crowds.

Turkish authorities have detained 323 people during protests over the investigation, interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said early on March 23. REUTERS