Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the mayor of Istanbul and a political rival of Erdoğan, has been taken into custody.

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Turkish authorities have detained the main political rival of the country’s president in what the main opposition party has called “a coup attempt against our next president”.

Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested on Wednesday in relation to charges including corruption and aiding a terrorist group.

It was a dramatic escalation in an ongoing government crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices in Türkiye.

He faces two separate investigations that also include charges of leading a crime organisation, bribery and tender rigging.

A man in a suit and tie walks towards a dais with Turkish flag in the background.

Ekrem Imamoglu had been expected to challenge Türkiye’s current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the next presidential election in the country. Source: Getty / dia images

Imamoglu’s party was poised to name him its challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who Türkiye for more than two decades.

The two-term mayor is widely seen as competitive in any future poll and he was expected to be formally named as the official candidate within days.

In a video he shared on his X account, Imamoglu said he would not give up and would continue standing straight in the face of pressure.

According to a statement by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office on the first investigation, 100 people including journalists and businessman are suspected to be involved in the criminal activities related to certain tenders awarded by the municipality.

It said a second investigation charged Imamoglu and six others with aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which deemed a terrorist organisation by Türkiye and its Western allies.

The detention came a day after Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s degree which, if upheld would block him from running in presidential elections.

The next vote is set for 2028 but it must come earlier if Erdoğan wants to run again.

The Istanbul governor’s office decided to ban all meetings and protests in the city for four days.

Critics say the crackdown follows significant losses by Erdoğan’s ruling party in local elections in 2024 amid growing calls for early national elections.

Government officials insist the courts operate independently and reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.