The arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu represents a dangerous assault on the principles of democratic governance in Turkey. As prosecutors have now formally ordered him imprisoned pending trial on dubious charges of corruption and allegations of terror links, we are witnessing what appears to be nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to eliminate President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s most formidable rival.
İmamoğlu, who has twice defeated Erdoğan’s ruling party in Istanbul’s mayoral elections, was detained last week along with approximately 100 other individuals including journalists, politicians and businesspeople in what Turkish authorities claim is an investigation into alleged corruption, extortion, and terror links. The timing could hardly be more suspect – occurring just days before he was due to be selected as the opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) presidential candidate.
This troubling development follows a pattern of judicial harassment against İmamoğlu, including a previous conviction for allegedly insulting election officials and, more recently, Istanbul University’s sudden decision to annul his degree – a move that, if upheld, would disqualify him from running for president since Turkey’s constitution requires presidential candidates to have completed higher education.
The crackdown has triggered the largest wave of protests Turkey has seen in over a decade, with demonstrations erupting in more than two-thirds of the country’s provinces according to recent reports. The government’s response – deploying riot police with tear gas and water cannons against peaceful demonstrators – only underscores the authoritarian drift that has characterized Erdoğan’s 22-year grip on power.
While Turkey’s justice minister insists the judiciary is independent, claiming it is “extremely dangerous and wrong” to suggest political motivation behind the arrests as reported by international media, the evidence suggests otherwise. When a popular opposition leader is detained on the eve of his nomination, when his academic credentials are suddenly invalidated after three decades, and when social media platforms are restricted to limit public discourse, the conclusion is inescapable: this is a direct attack on democracy itself.
The world must not stand idly by. Turkey remains a NATO ally and an important regional power. Its continued slide toward authoritarianism threatens not only its own citizens but the stability of an already volatile region. Western democracies must apply meaningful diplomatic pressure on Ankara to release İmamoğlu and respect the democratic process.
Democracy in Turkey is at a crossroads. The arrest of İmamoğlu is not merely about one man’s political future – it is about whether Turkey will remain a country where the ballot box, not politically motivated prosecutions, determines who governs. For the sake of the Turkish people and regional stability, democratic norms must prevail.
