Turkey detains dozens of social media users after İmamoğlu detention
Turkish police have detained 37 people over social media posts following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, authorities said on Thursday.
A total of 261 accounts were under investigation for "provocative posts," including incitement to hatred and encouraging criminal acts, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on the social media platform X. He said 62 of the accounts are based abroad.
İmamoğlu's detention on Wednesday sparked outrage, occurring only a few days before his secular Republican People's Party (CHP) was set to nominate him as its presidential candidate. He is accused of corruption and terrorism charges.
Over 18 million posts related to his detention were identified on X, Yerlikaya said.
The CHP accused the government of being behind the detention orders for İmamoğlu and 105 others, and of trying to eliminate a political rival.
The government contends the detentions are part of independent investigations.
Social media access in Turkey remained restricted, with users and media reporting slow or blocked platforms.
The governor's office of the Istanbul province imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations, gatherings and news coverage until Sunday, the day of İmamoğlu's nomination.
Despite the ban, hundreds gathered in front of the city administration building to protest İmamoğlu's arrest on Wednesday.
Students at Istanbul University protested for a second day on Thursday, local media reported. University student groups called for wider protests on X.
Meanwhile, the CHP said it would proceed with Sunday's vote.
In addition to the official vote by party members, the CHP called on people in Turkey to symbolically vote in solidarity with İmamoğlu at boxes that would be set up nationwide.
It was not immediately clear if and when İmamoğlu, currently held at the Istanbul police headquarters, would face trial.
If he is convicted on terrorism charges, the Turkish government could replace him with a government-affiliated official.
In 2019, for the first time in 25 years, Islamic conservatives in Turkey lost control of the capital Ankara and Istanbul. İmamoğlu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor in the 2024 polls.
The loss of Turkey's economic powerhouse Istanbul was a major setback for Erdoğan.
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