Turkish Court Issues Fresh Arrest Order Against Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu

Turkish court issues a new arrest order for Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on political espionage charges, intensifying concerns over the government’s crackdown on opposition figures.

A Turkish court has issued a new arrest order for Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, on charges of “political espionage,” in a move that further intensifies the government’s crackdown on opposition figures.

State-run media reports say Imamoglu, alongside two others, is accused of using alleged graft and foreign connections to support a presidential bid. Imamoglu has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “a shameful indecency.”

The mayor has been in detention since March on separate corruption-related charges. He also received a fresh jail sentence in July for insulting and threatening Istanbul’s chief prosecutor. Analysts say his continued detention highlights growing concerns that Turkey’s judicial system is increasingly being wielded as a political tool by the ruling party.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which Imamoglu represents, has condemned the arrest as politically motivated, arguing that the government is attempting to remove electoral threats. Hundreds of party members and elected officials have faced similar legal pressures in what critics describe as a systematic effort to suppress dissent.

Imamoglu has remained defiant, both in court and from prison, maintaining his innocence and vowing to continue advocating for democratic processes. His legal team is expected to appeal the new arrest order, signalling that the political and judicial standoff is far from over.

The latest developments in Istanbul come amid broader concerns about press freedom, judicial independence, and the shrinking space for political opposition in Turkey, raising alarms among international observers.