Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu Appears in Court

Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and a leading rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, appeared in court Friday for the first time since his arrest last month on corruption and terrorism charges. The hearing, held at Silivri Prison’s high-security courthouse, centered on separate allegations that İmamoğlu attempted to intimidate Istanbul’s chief prosecutor.

The opposition has denounced his detention as a "coup attempt against our next president," sparking the largest anti-government protests in over a decade. Crowds gathered outside the courthouse in support of the mayor, whose case has drawn international scrutiny. The Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly has urged Turkish authorities to release him, calling the charges politically motivated.

"I Am Here Because I Won Elections"

Addressing the court, İmamoğlu framed his prosecution as retribution for defeating Erdoğan’s political machine. "I am here because I won elections three times in Istanbul," he said. "I am here under arrest because I won against the notion that 'Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey.'"

The phrase has long been associated with Erdoğan, who launched his career as Istanbul’s mayor in the 1990s. İmamoğlu’s victories in 2019 and 2024 marked major setbacks for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Friday’s hearing—adjourned until June—focused on allegations that İmamoğlu threatened Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, a former deputy justice minister under Erdoğan. The opposition accuses Gürlek of acting as a "mobile guillotine" targeting government critics.

Wider Legal Battle and Protests

The case is one of at least six pending against İmamoğlu, who risks imprisonment and a political ban. His March 19 arrest, tied to separate corruption and terrorism investigations, triggered nationwide demonstrations. His wife, Dilek İmamoğlu, has been a prominent figure in the protests, attending Friday’s hearing alongside their child and several lawmakers.

Authorities have detained nearly 2,000 demonstrators since the crackdown began, though courts have recently released some, including two opposition journalists arrested over a media investigation.

Despite government claims of judicial independence, critics see the cases as an attempt to sideline Erdoğan’s chief opponent before the next presidential election, due by 2028 but potentially earlier if parliament calls a snap vote.

Meanwhile, İmamoğlu took aim at state broadcaster TRT, accusing it of spreading "lies and slander" instead of covering his trial. "They are using public funds to discredit me," he said.

The mayor’s legal battles continue next month, with another hearing scheduled in a decade-old bid-rigging case. His supporters vow to sustain protests, framing the struggle as a test of Turkey’s embattled democracy.