Turkish authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – on Wednesday as part of corruption and terrorism investigations.
Detention orders were also issued for around 100 others connected to the mayor, including his press adviser Murat Ongun, according to state-run news agency Anadolu Agency.
The move came just days before the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was scheduled to hold a primary election where Imamoglu was expected to be chosen as its presidential candidate.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called the detention “a coup attempt against our next president.”
Video from CNN Turk showed police wearing riot gear and dozens of security vehicles outside Imamoglu’s home.
Turkish police arrest Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 19, 2025
A popular and powerful figure within the CHP, Imamoglu is President Erdogan's main rival, and his detention comes days before he was to be named a candidate for the 2028 presidential electionhttps://t.co/7nscPlvYnE pic.twitter.com/9DNlwYBxgd
