Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, was brought to the city’s main courthouse on Sunday (October 26, 2025) to face questioning as part of a newly launched investigation into possible charges of espionage.

Hundreds of his supporters gathered outside in a show of support for the opposition politician considered to be a rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The espionage investigation, launched two days ago, centres on alleged links between Mr. Imamoglu’s political campaign and a man arrested in July, accused of conducting intelligence activities on behalf of foreign states. Mr. Imamoglu’s former campaign manager, Necati Ozkan, and journalist Merdan Yanardag also face questioning as part of the probe.

Held in pretrial detention since March on corruption charges he denies, this was the first time Mr. Imamoglu had left Istanbul’s Marmara Prison, on the outskirts of Istanbul, in seven months.

Critics view Mr. Imamoglu’s arrest — along with those of other mayors from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP- as part of a broader crackdown on the opposition, which made significant gains in last year’s local elections. Several CHP-run municipalities have faced waves of arrests throughout the year.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the courthouse to show solidarity. CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel addressed the crowd, saying: “As long as these interrogations continue, as long as this cruelty continues, as long as this oppression continues, we will struggle democratically —without harming anyone and without allowing anyone to trample our dignity.” Faruk Kilic, a 26-year-old electrician, told The Associated Press that he joined the rally to protest what he called injustices against Mr. Imamoglu.

“I believe these injustices will never cease, so I will offer my support till the very end,” he said.

Mr. Imamoglu’s arrest in March sparked nationwide protests. Mr. Erdogan’s government insists that Turkiye’s judiciary is independent and that the investigations are strictly focused on corruption.

Turkish police arrested 44 people Friday (August 15, 2025) in the Opposition stronghold of Istanbul, including the mayor of the central district of Beyoglu and several of his close advisers, the Anadolu news agency reported.

The latest wave of arrests, over alleged corruption, is part of a months-long crackdown targeting the main Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, considered the biggest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March and subsequently imprisoned.

His arrest sparked protests in the country on a scale not seen in more than a decade.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel wrote on X on Friday (August 15, 2025) that, in “149 days, the judiciary has not managed to produce an indictment”.

“Because they only have slanderous accusations like ‘I heard that’,” he added.

Ozel called the wave of arrests “vengeance which aims to cover up the damage caused (to the country) by the AKP gang” of Erdogan, who has been in power since 2022.

Also read: Turkey Opposition crackdown spreads to Izmir with 157 detentions

In addition to Imamoglu and the mayor of Beyoglu, Inan Guney, nine of Istanbul’s 26 CHP district mayors have been arrested and imprisoned since October, most of them on corruption charges which they deny.

CHP mayors from a number of other cities have also been arrested.

According to analysts, the government is attempting to undermine the CHP, which emerged as the clear winner in local elections in the spring of 2024 at the expense of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.