Turkish court imprisons Istanbul mayor Imamoglu pending trial

A Turkish court has ordered the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu pending trial, a decision likely to ignite significant protests across the country, Arab News reported. Imamoglu, a leading opponent of President Erdogan, was jailed along with at least 20 others as part of a corruption investigation.

This ruling has faced backlash from the main opposition party, European leaders, and tens of thousands of demonstrators, who view it as politically motivated. Imamoglu stated on Sunday that he will not be intimidated, declaring, “We will, hand in hand, uproot this blow, this black stain on our democracy… I am standing tall, I will not bow down,” in a post on X.