İmamoğlu Detained

Issue #250

Just one week ago, the “big scandal” in Turkey involved the CHP-run Üsküdar Municipality hosting twerking lessons during the holy month of Ramadan. Those were simpler times.

In this week’s recap:

• İmamoğlu detained

• CHP under “siege” before vote

• Turkish officials visit Damascus

• Domestic and diplomatic wraps

• Political memes flood internet

Also from us this week:

• Çınar Özer on the citizen reporting tool that originally sparked İmamoğlu’s “fake diploma” investigation

• Tomorrow, Azra Ceylan outlines the economic impacts of İmamoğlu’s detention in Economy recap

• And subscribe separately to our Turkish-language Substack for Meclis recap

A protester holds a flyer of jailed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. © CHP

The charges read like a RICO case. That’s a US law designed to go beyond individual crimes and target a range of unlawful activities conducted by an organized crime organization.

We’re not sure about the equivalent in Turkey, but it might look like the charges behind the detentions Wednesday of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and more than 100 of his associates, including the mayors of Şişli and Beylikdüzü.

The alleged crimes include corruption, bribery and terrorism-related offenses by İmamoğlu-run municipalities, past and present, according to the arrest warrants issued by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

İmamoğlu now faces five criminal cases “all based on scant evidence”, according to Human Rights Watch. Taken together, the investigations and his ongoing detention are widely seen as moves to disrupt his nomination as the CHP’s presidential candidate in the party’s primary vote Sunday – which is still happening (more below).

“We are faced with a coup attempt against our next president,” CHP chair Özgür Özel wrote on X Wednesday.

The news comes after İstanbul University Tuesday revoked İmamoğlu’s university diploma, which is required to hold the presidency. It remains unclear if his Master’s degree still counts.

That said, Turkey’s next presidential elections are not scheduled until 2028. Yet, Arife Kose, a PhD candidate in politics at the University of East Anglia, said the Turkish government is taking action now because İmamoğlu appears to have a chance at the presidency.

“I think they are aware of the fact that it is very likely İmamoğlu is going to win the next presidential election,” Kose told Turkey recap. “So, their strategy is based not only on getting Erdoğan elected again, but also on eliminating any meaningful, strong candidate who has a chance to win against him.”

İmamoğlu’s detention Wednesday triggered street protests throughout the country, with major demonstrations in İstanbul despite heavy police presence and public transportation closures near central gathering areas. NetBlocks data also showed access restrictions on social media platforms Wednesday, including WhatsApp.

Immediate responses were issued by international bodies, as well as other opposition parties in Turkey, including the pro-Kurdish DEM Party.

Part of the terrorism-related charges against İmamoğlu allege he collaborated with the PKK through a legal Kurdish political group. Authorities Wednesday also seized a construction company co-owned by the mayor, citing separate corruption charges.

Commenting on the broader picture, Kose said Turkey is usually classified as a competitive authoritarian country, meaning elections are free but not fair. For example, she said Turkish opposition parties could compete for votes while facing “significant disadvantages” in access to media and financial resources.

But “İmamoğlu’s arrest indicates a turning point in Turkey's drift towards full authoritarianism, like Russia,” Kose said. “In a situation where Erdoğan's biggest rival has been arrested on terrorism charges, we cannot talk about any kind of competitiveness in Turkey anymore.”

“Of course, it is early to say that such a transition is complete,” she added. “We need to see what is going to happen in the coming days. However, for now, Turkey is moving in this direction."

İmamoğlu supporters at the İstanbul municipality building Wednesday. © CHP

Poll factor: CHP under “siege” before vote