Levent Kenez/Stockholm
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested on Sunday on corruption charges, while an investigation of alleged terrorism links, stemming from his party’s electoral collaboration with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) during the March 31, 2024 local elections, will continue.
Political analysts argue that the real motive behind the terrorism investigation is to pave the way for the government to seize control of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) by appointing a state trustee (kayyum). A 2016 law allows such a move if a mayor is arrested on terrorism charges. Although Imamoglu has been removed from office by the Interior Ministry, legal experts suggest that the ongoing terrorism case could be used as further justification for appointing a trustee to govern Istanbul.
Former judge and lawyer Ali Kadıoglu said an actual arrest is not a prerequisite for a trustee appointment. “The Interior Ministry can use the ongoing investigation and judicial supervision measures as a basis to suspend Imamoglu and appoint a trustee. It is highly likely they will take this course of action.”
Imamoglu’s detention follows an investigation by the Terrorism Crimes Investigation Bureau. The mayor was interrogated for an hour and submitted a 10-page statement to the prosecutor’s office. Several high-ranking city officials, including İBB Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat and Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan, have also been questioned as part of the probe. During questioning Imamoglu was reportedly asked whether he had relatives with links to terrorist organizations and if he had ever left Turkey illegally. He strongly denied the implications, stating, “No one in my family or social circle has any ties to terrorism. The mere fact that such a question was asked is an insult.”
The charges stem from the so-called Urban Consensus strategy employed by the DEM Party during the elections. The ruling government argues that this collaboration led to individuals with alleged terrorist affiliations securing positions on city councils and in local government.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office defines the Urban Consensus as an initiative aimed at increasing the influence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in major metropolitan areas. The PKK, which has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s, is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
Imamoglu has dismissed the accusations, emphasizing that the candidate selection process is overseen by Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) and district electoral boards. “Either the election authorities failed in their duties, or this entire investigation is politically motivated,” he said.
The prosecution has based part of its case on a secret witness who alleged that financial transactions took place between the DEM Party and the opposition to secure political backing. Imamoglu and his legal team have denounced the claims as unfounded. “The Republican People’s Party [CHP] has never required intermediaries to form political alliances. This is a fabricated case built on false testimony,” Imamoglu said.
His legal team has criticized the prosecution’s reliance on anonymous witnesses, speculative financial records and ambiguous data. “A crime must be proven with concrete evidence, and this case lacks any substantiated claims,” one of his lawyers said.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has also launched a separate terrorism investigation citing the Urban Consensus strategy as justification. As part of this probe, on February 11 authorities raided nine CHP-governed district municipalities in Istanbul, resulting in multiple arrests. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel strongly criticized the arrests, stating, “The Urban Consensus represents the Istanbul Alliance. This is not just an attack on our party officials but an attempt to suppress the will of Istanbul’s people.”
The government’s crackdown on CHP municipalities is not unprecedented. In October 2023 Ahmet Ozer, the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, was arrested on terrorism charges, and a trustee was appointed to run the municipality. Following the March 31, 2024 elections, CHP mayors from Istanbul’s Beşiktaş, Beykoz and Beylikdüzü districts were also detained, and their replacements were selected from the relevant city councils. In total six CHP mayors in Istanbul, including Imamoglu, have been arrested, while trustees have been appointed in two municipalities: Şişli and Esenyurt.
The opposition has condemned Imamoglu’s arrest as a politically motivated attempt to neutralize a key rival ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Critics argue that the legal proceedings are part of a broader government strategy to undermine opposition-controlled municipalities and weaken political dissent.
Ekrem Imamoglu’s statement regarding the terrorism allegations:
Imamoglu had been leading in election polls conducted by the Turkish media, showing him significantly ahead of incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and as the likely winner. Despite his arrest on Sunday, the CHP has officially declared Imamoglu its presidential candidate.
Just one day before his detention, Istanbul University invalidated Imamoglu’s university diploma, effectively stripping him of one of the key eligibility requirements to run for president. Imamoglu announced that he would challenge the decision through legal action.
The government, with the support of its nationalist and far-right ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has reportedly engaged in discussions with Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK in Turkey. In exchange for the PKK’s laying down its arms and disbanding, talks have focused on improving the status of Kurds and future constitutional amendments. In this context, it is highly contradictory that Imamoglu is being accused of terrorism due to his alliance with the Kurds
