Turkish authorities have blocked access to the X (formerly Twitter) account of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the jailed mayor of Istanbul and the presidential candidate for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). This development was confirmed by a notice on the platform early Thursday, stating the block was implemented following a legal order.
The account, which has 9.7 million followers, became inaccessible within Turkey shortly after midnight on 8 May, with the restriction message appearing by around 02:00 local time. The notice informs users that İmamoğlu’s account “has been withheld in Turkey in response to a legal demand.” Social media users quickly voiced criticism, describing the move as yet another example of political suppression in an already tense environment.
İmamoğlu has been held in Marmara (Silivri) Prison since 19 March, following his arrest during widespread protests. Despite his detention, his X account remained active, with recent posts encouraging supporters to join a CHP rally at Beyazit Square. His last post before the block urged people to gather, writing: “Come with your diploma, we meet tonight at 20:30.”
Bu akşam saat 20.30’da Beyazıt Meydanı’nda buluşuyoruz.
Diplomanı al da gel. 😊 pic.twitter.com/v7x2BJsxYN
— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) May 7, 2025
According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Organised Crime Bureau, İmamoğlu is under investigation for allegedly using his account from prison to issue directives to third parties, including calls for boycotts against domestic companies. Prosecutors claim these actions aimed to undermine the economy and apply pressure on the judiciary. Lawyer Burak Bekiroğlu confirmed that authorities submitted a formal request to the Istanbul Criminal Court of Peace to block access to the account until the trial concludes.
CHP Group Deputy Chair Ali Mahir Başarır sharply criticised the decision, stating on social media: “All of Ekrem İmamoğlu’s social media accounts are his own. Arrests, shutdowns, threats — you cannot silence us.”
The Turkish Directorate for Combating Disinformation defended the block, arguing that İmamoğlu was not directly responsible for the posts and that the content posed risks to public order.
Following the block, all CHP members launched a coordinated campaign on X, replacing their own profile pictures with İmamoğlu’s photo and posting messages of solidarity. The campaign aimed to protest the restriction and draw public attention to what they called an unjust and politically motivated decision.
