Istanbul mayor and Erdogan rival arrested

Ekrem Imamoglu, 53, Istanbul’s mayor and main political challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan has been detained as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and terror links

1971: Ekrem Imamoglu born in Black Sea province of Trabzon
1994: Graduates in business administration before entering family’s construction business
2008: Joins secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP)
2014: Becomes mayor of Istanbul’s Beylikduzu district
Mar 2019: Delivers Erdogan’s ruling AK Party (AKP) its biggest defeat in two decades by winning Istanbul’s mayoral race
Jun: Wins re-run election by wider margin after court annuls initial victory
2022: Sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for insulting public officials – appeals court has yet to rule in case
Mar 18, 2025: Istanbul University annuls Imamoglu’s degree. If upheld, decision would prevent him from running in presidential elections scheduled for 2028, but likely to be held early
2024: Re-elected by margin of more than 11 percentage points as voters punish AKP over cost of living crisis
Mar 19: Police detain Imamoglu days before he was expected to be named as CHP’s presidential candidate

Sources: Reuters, BBC, AFP
Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images
© GRAPHIC NEWS