Turkish police used force today to disperse a group of protesters gathered outside a court in Istanbul in support of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the city’s mayor and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
İmamoğlu, seen as a potential future leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), testified for two hours in two new investigations against him. His supporters claim the cases are politically motivated and aim to remove him from Turkish politics.
Police blocked a CHP bus from approaching the courthouse, sparking clashes. Officers responded with tear gas, though it remains unclear if there were any arrests. İmamoğlu later addressed his supporters from atop a bus, stating:
“Today’s issue is about the fight for rights and justice. Unfortunately, it stems from a conspiracy against Istanbul.”
İmamoğlu already faces a political ban if a 2022 conviction for insulting election officials is upheld by a higher court. He is also under trial over alleged tender rigging from 2015.
His historic victory in Istanbul’s 2019 mayoral election ended Erdoğan’s party’s 25-year dominance in the city. After the ruling party annulled the results, İmamoğlu won again in the rerun, securing his position, and was re-elected in 2023.
