Turkish authorities arrest key rival of Erdogan; critics say it's 'no coincidence'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is facing disapproval implicit what critics accidental is simply a crackdown connected absorption governmental figures aft constabulary detained his main rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, connected charges of corruption and links to terrorism.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention orders for İmamoğlu and 106 different salient governmental figures. The suspects are alleged to person committed offenses including bribery, embezzlement, bid rigging, aggravated fraud and unlawful acquisition of idiosyncratic data.

İmamoğlu was accused of collaborating with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a Kurdish nationalist radical that has led an insurgency against the Turkish authorities and is considered a violent radical by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.

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Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu (Aziz Karimov/Getty Images/File)

Critics stay suspicious of the apprehension of a salient absorption figure, particularly astatine a clip erstwhile Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development (AKP) enactment has suffered losses successful section elections successful the past year.

"İmamoğlu's apprehension is nary coincidence. He is Erdoğan’s governmental nemesis, and his apt candidacy to tally against him for the presidency has been weighing connected Erdoğan’s mind," Sinan Ciddi, nonresident elder chap connected Turkey astatine the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

People protestation the apprehension of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu successful Istanbul connected March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Ciddi warned that the detention of governmental adversaries represents the extremity constituent of Turkey arsenic a democracy, claiming that escaped and just elections arsenic good arsenic peaceful transportation of powerfulness are nary longer possible.

Turkish officials pushed backmost connected accusations that the question of arrests was politically motivated.

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A spokesperson from the Turkish Embassy successful Washington referred Fox News Digital to a connection from the Justice Ministry.

"Attempting to subordinate judicial investigations and cases with our President is, to accidental the least, an enactment of audacity and irresponsibility," wrote Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç.

People protestation the apprehension of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu successful Istanbul connected March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

"In our country, the separation of powers—legislative, executive, and judicial—is a cardinal principle. The judiciary does not instrumentality orders from anyone," the connection added.

İmamoğlu thanked planetary leaders and members of the European Parliament successful a station connected X and vowed to proceed warring for Turkey’s democracy.

"I basal resolute, entrusting myself not lone to the 16 cardinal residents of Istanbul but to the 86 cardinal citizens of Türkiye and each who uphold ideology and justness worldwide. I basal steadfast successful my combat for the cardinal rights and freedoms."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (AP/Emrah Gurel/File)

İmamoğlu, subordinate of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), was elected politician of Istanbul successful 2019 and re-elected successful 2023. In some elections, helium defeated Erdoğan-backed AKP opponents. He was seen arsenic the apt nominee of the CHP to look Erdoğan successful the adjacent statesmanlike predetermination scheduled for 2028, oregon sooner if elections are called early.

Authorities placed a prohibition connected nationalist demonstrations for 4 days successful an effort to quell immoderate increasing backlash to the arrests. Özgür Özel, seat of the CHP, Turkey’s main absorption party, addressed ample demonstrations gathered successful Istanbul and called for wide protestation to reason what the absorption sees arsenic a flagrant usurpation of antiauthoritarian norms.

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In effect to the arrest, Istanbul University annulled İmamoğlu's diploma, a determination that would barroom him from moving for president, according to Turkish law, which requires the president to person a assemblage degree. İmamoğlu said the enactment was beyond the university’s authorization and a troubling motion of governmental interference successful academia.

Soner Cagaptay, elder chap astatine the Washington Institute, said successful a station connected X that Erdoğan was primitively catapulted into governmental stardom arsenic then-mayor of Istanbul successful 1999 erstwhile helium was imprisoned connected charges of inciting spiritual hatred, lone to spot his popularity emergence and go person of Turkey since 2003.