The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has been placed in custody for four days after being arrested earlier and taken to the central police headquarters for interrogation.

İmamoğlu’s arrest, which came just one day after Turkish authorities revoked his degree, has sparked major political upheaval in Turkey. The Istanbul mayor was widely seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main political rival, and many expected him to challenge Erdoğan in the next elections.

Call for Nationwide Protests

Just minutes after news of İmamoğlu’s detention broke, CHP leader Özgür Özel issued a call for nationwide protests at 2:00 PM.

“Turkey will not surrender to this political coup. We will resist together. We call on all citizens to gather outside our party offices at 2:00 PM to protest the coup of March 19. Sovereignty belongs to the people. Sooner or later, the people will prevail,” Özel wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Crackdown on Protests and Social Media Restrictions

The Governor of Istanbul has imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations and protests, while Turkish authorities have restricted access to social media platforms and messaging apps, including X, WhatsApp, and TikTok.

The CHP denounces the detention of İmamoğlu, calling it “an attempted coup against our next president.”

“The People Will Give the Answer”

Shortly after the decision was announced, the first reaction from Ekrem İmamoğlu came to light. In a handwritten note published on his account on X, the Mayor of Istanbul emphasized that the people would be the ones to respond to the lies and conspiracies.

“To the lies that have been told,
To those who scheme and deceive,
To those who steal the people’s rights,
To those who usurp the people’s will,
Our people will give the necessary answer.

First, with God’s will,
And then, with my trust in our people…

With respect,” he wrote.

Önce Allah’a sonra milletimize emanetim! pic.twitter.com/tYfqrPedaw

— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) March 19, 2025