Turkey Blocks Jailed Mayor Imamoglu's X Account Amid National Security Cites

Turkey has blocked access to the X (formerly Twitter) account of Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed Istanbul mayor and opposition leader, citing national security and public order concerns following his arrest on corruption charges. The court order, which X complied with but is legally challenging, argues that Imamoglu's posts—operated by his team while he is in custody—pose a threat, though the opposition and rights groups condemn the move as politically motivated censorship aimed at suppressing dissent. Imamoglu's account, which has nearly 10 million followers, remains accessible outside Turkey but is restricted within the country. The Turkish government has taken broader steps to limit opposition voices on social media since Imamoglu's arrest, including blocking hundreds of journalists' and news organizations' accounts. Opposition parties and civil society groups argue the restrictions violate free speech and democratic principles, while the government insists the judiciary is independent and justified the actions based on legal grounds. Amid ongoing protests, Imamoglu's team continues to share his messages, and legal appeals against the account blocking are underway.