Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest Provokes Uproar While Raising Political Freedom Concerns

Police in riot gear holding shields and batons.

Turkey blocks Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s X account while he remains detained on disputed corruption charges, sparking the largest protests in a decade amid growing concerns over democratic freedoms in the country.

Quick Takes

Access to imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s X account with nearly 10 million followers has been blocked in Turkey under “national security” grounds.
Imamoglu was detained on March 19 on corruption charges he denies, leading to the largest anti-government protests in Turkey in over a decade.
Turkish authorities cited Article 8/A of Law No. 5651 for the restriction, while opposition parties condemned the move as politically motivated.
Opinion polls indicate Imamoglu’s popularity has increased since his arrest, positioning him as a potential main rival to President Erdogan in the 2028 election.
X’s lawyer in Turkey is filing a legal objection to the court’s decision to block the account.

Digital Silencing of Political Opposition

Turkish authorities have blocked access to the X account of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who remains in prison on corruption charges that many see as politically motivated. The platform now displays a message reading “Account Withheld—@ekrem_imamoglu has been withheld in TR (Turkey) in response to a legal demand” for users attempting to access his profile within the country. The account, which boasts nearly 10 million followers, remains accessible to users outside Turkey, highlighting the targeted nature of this restriction aimed at limiting his domestic communication.

Watchdog group EngelliWeb reported that Imamoglu’s account “has been blocked under Article 8/A of Law No. 5651, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order, and has been made invisible in Turkey by X.”

The digital silencing comes as Istanbul prosecutors investigate an April 24 post on Imamoglu’s account for alleged incitement. In that message, managed through his lawyers while in detention, Imamoglu urged the public to “raise your voice” against his arrest and the wider judicial crackdown on opposition figures in Turkey. This restriction represents a significant escalation in the government’s attempts to isolate the popular opposition politician from his supporters.

Growing Protests and Popular Support

Imamoglu’s detention on March 19 triggered the largest anti-government protests Turkey has witnessed in more than a decade. Tens of thousands have participated in rallies, including a significant demonstration outside Istanbul University, which had revoked Imamoglu’s degree shortly before his arrest—a move widely interpreted as part of the coordinated effort to discredit him. Despite authorities arresting approximately 2,000 protesters in the initial wave of demonstrations, public support for the mayor has remained strong.

“We are all Imamoglu,” said Yusuf Can, reflecting a sentiment shared by many protesters who view the mayor’s case as emblematic of broader democratic concerns in Turkey.

Many X users have changed their profile pictures to images of Imamoglu in solidarity, expanding the digital resistance to what opposition figures describe as government overreach. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) Secretary General Selin Sayek Boke condemned the account restriction, stating, “Now they won’t even allow him to speak to the public,” characterizing the move as part of an ongoing “coup attempt” against democratic opposition in Turkey.

Legal Challenges and Political Implications

Lawyer Gonenc Gurkaynak, representing X in Turkey, has announced legal action against the restriction. “Regarding the court decision imposing an access restriction on Mr Ekrem Imamoglu’s account on X, upon X’s request and in my capacity as X’s independent attorney, I will be filing an objection application this morning at the relevant court, comprehensively presenting all legal grounds for our objections on this matter,” Gurkaynak stated, challenging the government’s justification for the blockade.

Law professor Yaman Akdeniz noted that numerous accounts have faced similar restrictions since Imamoglu’s arrest, suggesting a pattern of digital censorship targeting opposition voices. The timing of these restrictions appears particularly significant as opinion polls indicate Imamoglu’s popularity has increased substantially since his detention, positioning him as potentially President Erdogan’s main rival in the 2028 presidential election.

The corruption charges against Imamoglu, which he and his supporters vehemently deny, could potentially bar him from participating in the 2028 election if he is convicted. This has raised concerns among international observers about the integrity of Turkey’s democratic processes and has galvanized opposition supporters who see these legal maneuvers as thinly veiled attempts to eliminate political competition.