Police arrest Istanbul mayor and key Erdogan rival amid crackdown

Turkish police arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amid a broader crackdown on the opposition. This action followed the revocation of his university degree, which could disqualify him from future elections. The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office accused Imamoglu of being a "criminal enterprise ringleader" and involved in corruption, including bribery.

He and his aides were detained alongside 100 others. Critics view this as a political maneuver following the ruling party's losses in local elections. Imamoglu remains defiant, stating, "I love you all very much, I entrust myself to my nation."

Imamoglu said in his first comments following his detention that Turkish people would give the necessary response to "lies, plots and traps" against him.