A delegation from the European Union, featuring prominent political figures including Vice President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley, paid a visit to Ekrem İmamoğlu, the jailed mayor of Istanbul and presidential contender from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), currently incarcerated in Marmara Prison. İmamoğlu was arrested on March 19 on allegations of corruption and alleged ties to a terrorist organization, leading to his imprisonment shortly thereafter.
Political ramifications of İmamoğlu’s arrest
As a significant political figure challenging President Erdoğan’s 22-year administration, İmamoğlu’s detention is widely viewed as being politically motivated. The Turkish government, however, maintains that the judiciary operates independently and without political influence. Following the delegation’s visit, leaders from the Party of European Socialists (PES), including President Stefan Löfven and other Members of the European Parliament such as Dario Nardella and Evin İncir, released a joint statement expressing solidarity with the Turkish democratic opposition.
“The PES is in Istanbul to stand with the Turkish democratic opposition in their call to (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan to stop the arrests and to free political prisoners,”
the statement declared. This visit coincided with growing international concerns regarding the state of democratic institutions in Türkiye, as articulated in a post shared on İmamoğlu’s X account. The post emphasized the delegation’s commitment to democratic principles, judicial independence, and the safeguarding of fundamental rights, noting that the suppression of political engagement via judicial actions contradicts the values upheld by democratic societies.
Impact and response to the protests
After their meeting with İmamoğlu, the EU delegation proceeded to the CHP’s provincial headquarters to engage with party chairman, Özgür Özel. İmamoğlu was formally arrested on March 23 during the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption. On the same day, the CHP nominated him as their candidate for the upcoming presidential election, expected to occur in 2028, where he had previously garnered 15 million votes.
In the wake of his arrest, mass protests erupted across major cities in Turkey, marking the most significant wave of social unrest in over a decade. The police response has been notably aggressive, employing pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that nearly 1,900 individuals have been detained since March 19, further escalating tensions within the nation.