Turkey Blocks Access to Jailed Istanbul Mayor's X Account

Access to the X (formerly Twitter) account of Istanbul's imprisoned mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu—widely regarded as President Erdogan's main political rival—has been blocked within Turkey following a legal request citing national security and public order concerns. Imamoglu, who was arrested and jailed on corruption charges that he denies, has remained active on social media, communicating with the public through messages relayed by his lawyers. His arrest, coinciding with his nomination as the main opposition party's presidential candidate, sparked Turkey's largest protests in a decade and has been criticized by opposition politicians as politically motivated and an attack on free speech. The court-ordered restriction marks the first time a high-profile elected official’s X account has been withheld in Turkey, a move that X has pledged to challenge through legal channels. Opinion polls indicate that Imamoglu's popularity has risen since his detention, reinforcing his status as Erdogan's leading challenger for the 2028 presidential elections. Government officials claim the investigation is independent, but critics argue it reflects ongoing democratic backsliding in Turkey.