Istanbul mayor suspended, arrested on corruption charges

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was suspended from office and detained on corruption charges, Türkiye's Interior Ministry said on Sunday, reported Xinhua.

The ministry, in a statement on social media platform X, described Imamoglu's removal as a "temporary measure under the law," citing allegations of unlawful acquisition of personal data for profit, bribery, tender rigging, and establishing a criminal organization.

Imamoglu, who denies the accusations, had been held for questioning since Wednesday. He was formally arrested after providing a statement in court on Sunday and transferred to Marmara Prison in Istanbul's Silivri district.

Imamoglu, from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), won a second term as Istanbul mayor in March 2024, defeating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party candidate, Murat Kurum.