TURKEY: THE DETENTION OF ISTANBUL MAYOR EKREM İMAMOĞLU SIGNALS A SERIOUS INCREMENT IN POLITICALLY MOTIVATED REPRESSION

The International League Against Arbitrary Detention (ILAAD) is deeply concerned about the apparent political motivation behind Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s and other elected local officials’ detentions as they occurred the day after the Republican People's Party (CHP) officially nominated him as their candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

ARBITRARY ARREST OF MAYOR EKREM İMAMOĞLU

On March 23, 2025, a grievous new chapter in the erosion of democratic principles and judicial independence in Turkey was marked by the arrest and formal detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other elected officials. Mass demonstrations ensued in Istanbul and other Turkish cities subsequent to these arrests, during which tear gas and water cannons were used by the police against university students in Istanbul and Ankara. 

The Istanbul 7th Criminal Court of Peace ordered the detention of Mayor İmamoğlu, Beylikdüzü district Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, and 43 others, while 41 individuals were released under judicial control. As of March 31, 2025, a total of 89 people have been detained in these cases, with 48 placed in formal detention by court order. In a separate case, Şişli district Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan was also apprehended, allegedly for terrorism-related offences. 

Specifically concerning Mayor İmamoğlu is accused of "bribery," "illegal collection of personal data," "bid rigging in public tenders," and "establishing and leading a criminal organization," according to the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office. Although the court has not yet approved a detention order for Mayor İmamoğlu in connection with the terrorism investigation, it has suggested that such a measure may be implemented if he is released from pretrial detention in the corruption case. Additionally, the authorities have initiated four distinct prosecutions against Mayor İmamoğlu, in three of which the prosecution has requested a political prohibition. 

Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan of the Şişli district was also apprehended in a separate incident, purportedly for terrorism-related offenses.  

ILAAD recalls that such arrests and prosecution cases are indicative of a strategy to eliminate opposition figures through judicial means, including successive investigations, in order to guarantee extended detention.

MASS ARRESTS OF JOURNALISTS AND PROTESTERS

ILAAD is equally concerned about the arrest of at least seven journalists who were covering the demonstrations, as it indicates an intensifying crackdown on press freedom. Not less alarming, numerous young protesters, including minors and university students, were reportedly detained during peaceful demonstrations across the country. Reports indicate that many were subjected not only to arrest but also to mistreatment during and after police interventions. 

According to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s (WGAD) methods of work, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the ongoing detentions of other elected officials as well as protesters and journalists would amount to one or more categories qualifying an arbitrary detention. 

ILAAD recalls the European Court of Human Rights’s case law concerning Turkey's pattern of repression in landmark judgments, including those involving Selahattin Demirtaş and Osman Kavala. Accordingly, it would appear that the recent detentions not only violate the right to protest and freedom of expression, but also serve as a reflection of this pattern.

ILAAD CALLS FOR URGENT ACTIONS

ILAAD urges Turkish authorities to immediately release Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and all others arbitrarily detained, cease the political misuse of counterterrorism and anti-corruption laws, and restore the independence of the judiciary in accordance with Turkey's obligations under international human rights law.

ILAAD is vigilantly monitoring the situation and is dedicated to providing assistance to individuals who have been unlawfully detained.