Turkish government-affiliated lawyers have requested, on Monday, to block the social media account of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the dismissed mayor of İstanbul, who was arrested last week on corruption charges, a move that opposition figures say is part of an ongoing political crackdown.
İmamoğlu, a key opposition figure, was detained in a dawn raid a day after İstanbul University revoked his business degree. Prosecutors accused him of corruption, while also citing suspicions of “terror organisation membership”, though a court ruled that there was insufficient evidence for the latter charge. He was subsequently removed from office, and his deputy, Nuri Aslan, was appointed in his place.
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Following his arrest, Justice and Development Party (AKP)-affiliated lawyer Mücahit Birinci publicly called on Turkish courts to block İmamoğlu’s X (formerly Twitter) account, claiming his online activity encouraged boycotts that could harm the country’s economy. Burak Bekiroğlu, a lawyer associated with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), supported the request, alleging that İmamoğlu had instructed third parties to use his account from prison to spread misinformation and pressure the judiciary. A legal filing was submitted to an İstanbul court seeking to restrict access to the account.
İmamoğlu’s arrest has sparked criticism from opposition parties, who argue the charges are politically motivated, particularly with local elections approaching. The case has drawn international attention, with rights groups expressing concerns over Turkey’s increasing suppression of dissent. Ankara has yet to comment officially on the request to block his social media account.
