The lawyer for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who like the mayor is in jail under an expanding crackdown on Turkey's ...

Who is Ekrem Imamoglu? Mr. Imamoglu became the mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and economic engine, in 2019, after defeating a candidate backed by Mr. Erdogan.

Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a popular figure, had boasted jokingly that he was the only person to have beaten Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party in three local elections.

Imamoglu was arrested on Wednesday after a dawn raid of his residence. His detention sparked public outcry and triggered widespread protests across Turkey.

A protester gives a flower to riot police officers during a protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025.

Riot police use pepper spray to clear protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday. Francisco Seco/AP hide caption ...

Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan’s most serious political rival, was arrested at his home on Wednesday just days before he was to be registered as a candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

Turkish authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – on Wednesday as part of corruption and terrorism investigations.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a popular figure, had basked in the glow of what he often jokingly dubbed his political miracle… ...

Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a popular figure, had basked in the glow of what he often jokingly dubbed his political miracle — the only person to have beaten Recep Tayyip Erdogan ...

Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a popular figure, had basked in the glow of what he often jokingly dubbed his political miracle - the only person to have beaten Recep Tayyip Erdogan's r.