Turkish prosecutors have asked a court to jail Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and four of his aides pending trial on terrorism and corruption charges, Imamoglu’s office said, as thousands nationwide protest what they call his undemocratic detention.
Imamoglu, a key opposition figure and potential challenger to President Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday on charges such as graft and aiding a terrorist group.
He has denied the charges, calling them “unimaginable accusations and slanders.” The court is expected to rule on Imamoglu’s detention early on Sunday.
If Imamoglu is arrested on terrorism charges, this would allow the government to appoint a trustee to the municipality, according to Turkish law.
On Saturday, thousands of people gathered outside the Istanbul municipality building and the main courthouse, with hundreds of police stationed at both locations using tear gas and pepper spray pellets to disperse protesters, as the crowd hurled firecrackers and other objects at them.
Protesters also clashed with police in the western coastal province of Izmir and the capital Ankara for a third night in a row, with police firing water cannon at the crowds.
Turkish authorities have detained 323 people during protests over the investigation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said early on Sunday.
“No attempt to harm public order will be allowed,” the minister said in a statement.
Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition, has condemned the detention as politically motivated and has urged supporters to demonstrate lawfully.
The government denies any influence over the matter and says the judiciary is independent.
Imamoglu, 54, who leads Erdogan in some opinion polls, was due to be named the CHP’s official presidential candidate within days.
Defying a temporary ban on demonstrations, hundreds took to the streets to support Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and protest against the Erdogan government.
The next election is set for 2028, but Erdogan has reached his two-term limit as president after previously serving as prime minister. If he wishes to run again, he must call an early election or change the constitution.
On Saturday, the president, who has run the country for more than 22 years, accused the CHP of trying to “provoke our nation,” adding they would not tolerate vandalism.
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