The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent figure and the principal rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is currently appearing before judges in Turkey. This legal process is widely interpreted by many as part of “a plan to neutralize him” politically.
On February 17, 2026, members of Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), gathered near the 15 July Martyrs Bridge in Istanbul for a demonstration. They held aloft posters of Mayor Imamoglu, expressing strong solidarity and protesting against the ongoing legal challenges he faces, which carry the risk of imprisonment and are perceived as politically motivated.