Imamoglu is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival and his detention came just days before the CHP was expected to name him their candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
Widely seen as the strongest challenger to Erdogan – whose route to the presidency also included four years as Istanbul mayor – İmamoglu has been targeted by a growing number of what critics say are spurious legal investigations.
Hundreds of police joined the pre-dawn raid on his home, Imamoglu said on X before being taken away, with the authorities then briefly blocking access to social networks.
There was a heavy police presence on the streets, with hundreds fanning out around City Hall and closing off Taksim Square. And the governor banned all protests for four days.
“What has happened is an attempted coup,” railed CHP leader Ozgur Ozel in a speech at City Hall.
“Ekrem Imamoglu’s freedom to be a candidate is not being taken away, it is this nation’s freedom to elect him that is being taken away.”
His words were echoed by the mayor’s wife, Dr Dilek Kaya İmamoglu.
“This is a targeted political operation aimed at eliminating Türkiye’s future president. This is a direct blow to the nation, and we will fight,” she vowed.
