In his first post from the Anti-Terrorism Department holding cells, Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu shared a message following his surprise arrest on Wednesday, March 19. “This nation is great,” he wrote, accompanying the post with a video from the large protests held the previous day in response to his detention.

İmamoğlu’s Voice Echoes Through Istanbul’s Subway

What truly shocked the public, however, was İmamoğlu’s voice, which was broadcast across Istanbul’s metro stations, making waves and possibly striking a blow to the authoritarian government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Through an audio message played over loudspeakers, İmamoğlu challenged Erdoğan directly, saying: “I challenge you.” This move was another attempt by the mayor to keep the spirits of his supporters high, emphasizing that his fight continues, even from behind the walls of the General Security Directorate.

Later this morning, İmamoğlu made another post, featuring speeches and videos from the rallies, commenting: “No power can stand in the way of solidarity and hope. Our struggle is for our children, for rights, for laws, for justice, for a better tomorrow.”

Ongoing Investigation and Arrests

Turkey’s Justice Minister Yılmaz Tünç stated that İmamoğlu is under investigation for “aiding and inciting a terrorist organization,” specifically the banned Kurdish militant group PKK. Early on Wednesday, over 80 people were arrested, with around 20 more still being sought, many of them from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) party.

“This was nothing less than a coup against the opposition party, with far-reaching consequences for Turkey’s political trajectory,” said political scientist Berk Esen from Sabancı University in Istanbul in an interview with Agence France-Presse.

International Reactions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the arrest “deeply concerning,” while Berlin condemned it as “a serious setback for democracy.” Both European leaders, Kaja Kallas and Marta Kos, issued a joint statement warning Turkey.

Meanwhile, the United States, whose President Donald Trump has close ties with Erdoğan, refrained from criticizing İmamoğlu’s arrest.

“We would encourage Turkey to respect human rights and handle its internal framework appropriately,” said U.S. State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce.