On the day of 23rd March, 2025, Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, is arrested. For some, his arrest was an unexpected move, and for others, it was meant to happen from the beginning. It’s such a coincidence that his university degree was annulled a day before his detention. And his imprisonment happened just at the same time as his primary election win for the presidency. With the 15 million votes in his favor. In this article you will find why and how the Mayor of Istanbul’s arrest happened.
He is accused of a couple of really serious charges, yet the trial is ongoing. Imamoglu is not the only person imprisoned now; his advisor, some managers in Istanbul Municipality, and even his brother-in-law are also arrested. The timing of these events seems suspicious, leading many to believe that Imamoglu’s arrest was politically motivated. Despite the accusations against him, his popularity among voters remains strong. The ongoing trial and arrests of others close to him only add fuel to the speculation surrounding his detention.
Protests Against the Detention
Thousands of people started to pour into the streets following the mayor of Istanbul’s arrest. Protests started in İstanbul but quickly grew as a national protest against the government. The mass protests were faced with a repressive government response. Huge majority of protestors who were detained were university students; most of them had to spend their holiday in bars instead of with their families.
The Human Rights Watch said, “There have been arrests and violent police dispersal, in some cases using tear gas fired at the crowd, as well as water cannons, notably in Ankara against university students,” about the nationwide protests. (“Türkiye: Court Jails Istanbul Mayor”)
A lot of young people, mostly university students, have spent their days on the streets protesting. They marched, held signs, and tried to raise their voices for democracy and justice. There were also colorful moments, such as a protestor who dressed in a Pikachu costume during the protests in Antalya. However, the government called anyone who participated in the protests vandals and identified marches as “street terrorism.”
Peaceful and unarmed protests are basic human rights, and citizens’ rights to protest are secured under the Turkish constitution as well.
How Trustworthy is the Law?
When a political figure is convicted of leading an organized crime scheme, it is concerning about the political condition of that country. Especially if that political figure is head of Istanbul, the most populated city in Europe. However, you can easily accuse anyone just with suspicion, but you need solid evidence for a prosecution. That is the case about the Mayor of Istanbul’s arrest.
Many people don’t trust in law in Türkiye, and they might be right about this. Because Türkiye took 117th place among 142 countries in the “Rule of Law Index.” This points to a weak and unstable legal system within the country. So, any investigation and trial is often met with skepticism and doubt from the public. Also, the mayor of Istanbul’s arrest has only further fueled this lack of trust in the legal system.
Cem Tecimer (Tecimer) says, “While lawfare implies the use of various legal strategies and maneuvers, it does not necessarily imply legality. In fact, many of the actions taken against İmamoğlu appear to be blatantly unlawful.” in his article. He underlines that the investigation against İmamoğlu is not about punishing a crime but a number of legal tactics to take him down.
One of the biggest critical comments on the trial is the lack of evidence and legal reasoning. Also, some parts of the trial are based on anonymous witnesses, which is raising suspicions about the trial.
The Reason Behind the Mayor of Istanbul’s Arrest
The lawfare is multi-purpose: each legal approach, if successfully implemented, has a distinct legal effect. For example, Istanbul University’s administrative decision to annul the mayor’s certificate is clearly intended to exclude him from the presidency, as Article 101 of the Turkish Constitution requires the president to be a university graduate. Consider the mayor’s recent corruption accusations, which suggest that he exploited his office for personal gain. Once accused (or merely investigated) by law enforcement for such claims, the applicable legal provision (Article 47 of the Law on Municipalities) allows the Minister of Interior to temporarily remove mayors from office.
Unsurprisingly, shortly after the mayor was sentenced to prison on corruption allegations, the Ministry of Interior announced his departure on the same day. This is why the lawfare against the mayor has been so overwhelming: the more charges and legal strategies he faces, the more possible legal outcomes, ranging from disqualifying him from running for president to removing him from office.
Why You Should Care About It?
While coming to your conclusions, you’ve undoubtedly been thinking about one thing: “Why do I care about this?” The reason is straightforward: because it matters. It concerns whether an elected politician is deposed in an undemocratic manner for political purposes. It matters if people are unable to speak, criticize, or protest. Your country may be in better shape, and you may be separated by a political boundary, but don’t forget that the same injustice may befall you. And I can tell you that it will go this way.
Türkiye is the biggest economic partner of the European Union. Türkiye is a strong market with over 80 million people for the EU. Turkey is the lead provider of foods, automotive parts, white goods, clothing, and tourism to the European Union. However, if freedom of speech and democracy are not upheld in Turkey, it could lead to instability in the region and ultimately affect the economy and social life of the European Union. It is important for all countries to stand up for human rights and democratic principles, regardless of political borders. We must remember that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
sources
“Türkiye: Court Jails Istanbul Mayor.” Human Rights Watch, 25 Mar. 2025, www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/24/turkiye-court-jails-istanbul-mayor.
Tecimer, Cem. “The Arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Is Textbook Lawfare.” The Overwhelming Lawfare Against İmamoğlu, 28 Mar. 2025, verfassungsblog.de/the-arrest-of-istanbuls-mayor-is-textbook-lawfare.
“WJP Rule of Law Index.” WJP Rule of Law Index, 2024, worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/global/2024/T%C3%BCrkiye.
