The Council of Europe Congress issued a strong statement on 23 March condemning the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, calling it a serious attack on democracy. İmamoğlu, who was detained on 19 March, faces charges including corruption and aiding a terrorist organisation, though the allegations are widely viewed as politically motivated.
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The Congress’ statement emphasised that İmamoğlu’s arrest represents a dangerous escalation in Turkey’s crackdown on political opposition. “The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu is an attack on democracy,” said Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. “Putting Mayor İmamoğlu in jail when he is to be selected as his party’s presidential candidate has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with politics. This is a calculated move aimed at undermining the integrity and fairness of electoral processes, and amounts to an assault on democracy.”
The Congress also called for İmamoğlu’s immediate release, underlining the importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law in Turkey. “Freedom of expression and the right to political participation must be protected,” the statement stressed.
The statement further highlighted the importance of Turkey’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe to ensure that democratic processes are maintained and that free and fair elections are conducted without political interference.
The Congress confirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation closely, and on 27 March, an urgent debate will be held during its 48th session in Strasbourg on the dismissal of mayors in Turkey.
