Erdogan detains rival Imamoglu amid election tensions

The recent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and expected candidate for the presidency, has ignited fierce backlash from opposition parties, who label the move as an attempted political coup. İmamoğlu was detained amid allegations of corruption and connections to a terrorist organization, with opposition leaders claiming this is an effort to undermine democracy and prevent the will of the people from being realized in upcoming elections. CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the arrest as a coup attempt and emphasized that the party would continue to support İmamoğlu despite the charges. Furthermore, İmamoğlu’s university degree was annulled, raising additional concerns about the legitimacy of his candidacy. Pro-government media reported that the arrest followed investigations into alleged criminal activities linked to İmamoğlu and his associates. Despite these challenges, İmamoğlu expressed his determination to fight against what he perceives as oppressive actions.