The opposition mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been suspended from office and imprisoned since Thursday, has been officially nominated as a candidate for the 2028 presidential elections by his party, according to a spokesperson.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition force, decided to hold its primary elections three years ahead of the presidential race. Imamoglu, 53 years old and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, was the sole candidate in the contest.
This weekend, he was imprisoned on alleged “corruption” charges, just four days after his arrest, which sparked the largest protests in Turkey in over a decade.
Early Monday morning, Turkish authorities arrested dozens of political leaders, activists, and journalists amid mass demonstrations against Imamoglu’s detention. Among those arrested was Ahmet Dincel, leader of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) in Istanbul, along with four other activists who were taken from their homes after participating in protests in Saraçhane, in front of the city hall.
“This arrest is illegal, and we demand the immediate release of our leaders and party members,” the TKP denounced on the social network X.
The socialist-oriented SOL party also reported the arrest of several of its members, including Deniz Demirdögen, a member of the national executive board, and Baris Ince, the party leader in Izmir, where authorities had explicitly banned any demonstrations. The exact number of arrested activists in Istanbul and other regions has not yet been confirmed.
Additionally, the Association for Media and Law Studies reported the arrest of photojournalist Murat Kocabas and eight other reporters in a police operation for allegedly violating laws on public gatherings and demonstrations. It has not been specified whether the journalists were detained while covering the protests.
The arrests come amid heightened political tensions following Imamoglu’s imprisonment. As one of the most prominent opposition figures against Erdogan, he faces charges of corruption and collaboration with terrorism—allegations his supporters claim were fabricated to remove him from the presidential race.
In response, the CHP announced daily demonstrations until his release is secured.
“Starting tomorrow, we will gather at 8:30 PM (5:30 PM GMT), both here in Istanbul and across Turkey,” declared CHP leader Özgür Özel before a crowd gathered for the fifth consecutive day in front of city hall.
