The lawyer for detained former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Mehmet Pehlivan, who has also been in prison since May, said today that he was detained only because he represents Imamoglu, claiming that all charges against him are fabricated, Reuters reports.
"Focus" recalls that former mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained on March 19 on corruption charges. His arrest sparked mass protests across the country, as well as new arrests of other mayors and senior officials.
Pehlivan said the alleged evidence against him was false and based on an alleged phone call or meeting that never took place.
Imamoglu was seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main opponent in the upcoming 2028 elections. On March 23, a court extended his detention, and a few days later the Istanbul municipal council removed him from office. However, the cancellation of his university degree prevented him from running in the elections.
"Their goal is to intimidate, to silence, to isolate. They are trying in vain. Because we, the lawyers, do not give up". This is what Pehlivan said after his detention.
At the time, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, also supported Pehlivan's cause.
Lawyer for ousted Istanbul mayor: I was detained only because I represent Ekrem Imamoglu
Imamoglu was considered a main opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming 2028 elections.
Jul 7, 2025 19:18 300
