Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the most prominent opposition figure in Turkey and a potential contender against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in future elections, appeared in court on 31 January to testify in two separate investigations. The case has raised concerns that Turkey’s judiciary is being used as a political tool to weaken opposition leaders ahead of possible early elections.
İmamoğlu, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has been under legal pressure since his landslide victory in Istanbul’s 2019 local elections and later 2024 local elections, which dealt a significant blow to Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Analysts believe this latest investigation is part of an ongoing effort to prevent him from running in the next presidential election, currently scheduled for 2028.
The charges stem from a speech İmamoğlu made on 20 January 2025, which authorities claim contained threatening remarks. However, İmamoğlu rejected the accusations, stating:
“I am here not because of justice, but because of a system where instructions dominate over the law.”
He went on to defend his words, asserting that he spoke out against police intimidation of opposition figures and arbitrary detentions, calling for a Turkey where justice prevails over political orders.
“I do not accept the charges against me. I have not threatened anyone. My words were an expression of free speech, which is a constitutional right.”
As public debate over the case intensified, President Erdoğan took to X (formerly Twitter) yesterday to issue a statement defending the Turkish judiciary, stating:
“The Turkish judiciary makes decisions solely on behalf of the Turkish nation. No one can interfere with those who rule in the name of the nation.”
He condemned what he called attempts to pressure judges and prosecutors, particularly through targeting them and their families, calling it “the height of irresponsibility”. Erdoğan also reminded that the judiciary had stood firm during the failed 2016 coup attempt, suggesting that it would continue to resist external influences.
“Everyone, especially political figures, must use careful, responsible, and measured language. We are all responsible for ensuring that the judiciary can function in accordance with justice and fairness.”
While Erdoğan insists that the judiciary is independent and impartial, critics argue that the timing and nature of the cases against İmamoğlu reflect a political motive rather than a legal one.
As İmamoğlu testified, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul, chanting slogans against the government’s increasing pressure on opposition figures. Protesters accused the Erdoğan administration of turning the judiciary into a political weapon.
One demonstrator stated:
“We are here because we refuse to be silenced. We will not let them remove our elected officials through politically motivated trials.”
İmamoğlu is not the first opposition figure to face legal pressure. In recent years, former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş and CHP leader Canan Kaftancıoğlu have also been sentenced on controversial charges, widely seen as attempts to curb political dissent.
Legal experts warn that the Turkish government is once again trying to engineer the political landscape through judicial means. Analysts predict that if İmamoğlu is convicted, he could be barred from holding public office, eliminating Erdoğan’s most significant opponent in a potential early election scenario.
Despite the legal pressure, İmamoğlu remained defiant, stating:“This nation will see the day when justice is restored.”
The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Turkey’s judiciary will continue its pattern of targeting political opponents, or if public pressure and international scrutiny will force a different course of action.
