On March 19, the popular mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested just as he was about to register to run in Turkey’s next presidential election. At the same time, in a series of coordinated raids, more than 100 individuals were detained, including journalists and business figures. The charges ranged from corruption to alleged links to terrorism.
Despite a government ban on street gatherings, thousands of people began to rally in protest against Imamoglu’s detention, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of a blatant attempt to remove the man likely to be his main opponent in the next presidential election.
Prosecutors announced that Imamoglu had been arrested for “establishing and managing a criminal organization, taking bribes, extortion, unlawfully recording personal data, and rigging a tender.” In addition to this shopping list of alleged crimes and misdemeanors, Imamoglu also faced allegations of “aiding an armed terrorist organization” – namely, Turkey’s proscribed Kurdish autonomy party, the PKK.
The next day, government media announced that the police were investigating the Imamoglu family’s construction business on a separate suspicion of financial irregularities.
Imamoglu is being harried on another front. A day before his arrest, Istanbul University announced it was revoking Imamoglu’s degree due to alleged irregularities, a measure that, if upheld, would put his ability to run as president in doubt. According to the Turkish constitution, to hold office presidents must have completed higher education.
A digital bilboard displays a picture of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and a slogan which reads, "The nation is standing up for its will", on the day Imamoglu was jailed as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)
As mass protests against Imamoglu’s detention erupted across the nation, on March 23 he and four of his aides were, by order of a Turkish court, imprisoned pending trial.
Now Turkey is in turmoil. The Turkish government has been unable to control the popular defiance of its clampdown on street gatherings. Each day tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in cities and towns across the nation, denouncing Imamoglu’s detention as politically motivated and a further step away from the democratic origins of modern Turkey. As March drew to an end, the protests continued to erupt, day after day.
Last year, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered a major defeat in local and mayoral elections. It seems obvious to many that the current moves are aimed at removing serious contenders ahead of the next presidential election. However, since it is not scheduled until 2028, one might ask why the issue has surfaced so early. There is a very good reason.
Why Turkey's Erdogan is getting rid of opposition
In the 2017 constitutional referendum which transformed Turkey’s system from a parliamentary to a presidential one – a change championed by Erdogan and his party – a president may serve a maximum of two terms, but there is an exception. If parliament calls for an early election during a president’s second term, that president is allowed to run for a third term.
The year scheduled for the next Turkish presidential election is 2028. Nominally it should mark the end of Erdogan’s second consecutive term, and he would not be eligible to run again. However, should the parliament (which has a three-fifths AKP majority) call for early elections, Erdogan would be able to seek another term.
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Imamoglu has accused the government of “weaponizing the judiciary” to stay in power, and his Republican People’s Party called his detention “a coup against the next president.” A message posted on his X account called on judges and prosecutors to “stand up and take action against a handful of your colleagues who are ruining the Turkish judiciary, disgracing us before the whole world, and destroying our reputation…. You cannot and must not remain silent.”
Erdogan’s actions against Imamoglu are part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures in Turkey – a campaign that has intensified in recent months, targeting various political adversaries and dissenting voices.
Since March 19 some 2,000 people have been arrested, among them at least seven journalists, presumably on account of their political opinions. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency recently reported that Turkish police are detaining people for posting messages on social media that allegedly incite unrest. On March 27, BBC news reporter Mark Lowen was arrested, detained, and deported, after covering the public protests.
Erdogan has been on television to accuse the opposition of blowing Imamoglu’s arrest out of all proportion. It will be up to the courts, he said, to determine if the allegations against him are valid, but “they know full well that all of it is true.”
IMAMOGLU HAS been a thorn in Erdogan’s flesh for many years, but back in the 1990s, during Erdogan’s tenure as Istanbul’s mayor, their relationship was cordial. In those days a young Imamoglu hosted Erdogan at his family’s restaurant, on the house.
Imamoglu, always popular with the public, decided to try his luck in the 2019 election for mayor of Istanbul. It was a bold, almost cheeky move because not only had Erdogan virtually started his political career as Istanbul’s mayor, but the post had subsequently been held consistently by members of Erdogan’s party.
Shattering all predictions, Imamoglu won the election, albeit by a very narrow margin – 28,000 votes in a city with more than 10 million voters. The ruling AKP immediately challenged the results, alleging irregularities and fraud.
Under pressure from the AKP, the Supreme Election Council took the unprecedented step of annulling the election and ordered a rerun –a decision heavily criticized both within Turkey and internationally. It backfired spectacularly.
On June 23, 2019, Imamoglu inflicted a stunning defeat on Erdogan and the AKP. He won the rerun election by a much larger margin – some 800,000 votes (54.2% vs 45%). This was widely interpreted as a significant blow to Erdogan’s political dominance. His famous and well-remembered remark came back to haunt him: “Whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey.”
People take part in a protest on the day Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/UMIT BEKTAS)
To safeguard his future he is now clearly taking the sort of preemptive steps open to him in a country that retains vestiges of its secular democratic past. Yet he appears more vulnerable than for many a year, both economically and politically.
The Turkish lira has experienced a sharp depreciation, plunging to a record low of 42 to the US dollar, its most substantial decline since July 2023. Simultaneously, the Istanbul stock market has been facing considerable losses. Moreover, recent public opinion surveys show that Erdogan’s approval ratings are in decline – overall, 55% of Turkish adults hold an unfavorable opinion of him.
Yet when it comes to elections, Erdogan has consistently demonstrated the ability to intimidate his opponents and rally his supporters.
The first stage of his winning strategy is clearly in progress.
The writer is the Middle East correspondent for Eurasia Review. His latest book is: Trump and the Holy Land: 2016-2020. Follow him at: www.a-mid-east-journal.blogspot.com
דרושים דרושות נהגים לעבודה בנהיגה במספר סניפים ברחבי הארץ, בהיקף ארצי, מדובר על נהיגה במספר תחומים לבחירה, נהיגה במשאית, רכב פרטי, אופנוע, ורכב מסחרי, לא נדרש ניסיון, אבל נדרש רישיון נהיגה בהתאם לתפקיד, לפרטים ניתן להירשם בקישור הבא: https://drussimjobbs.com/sign/ אתר drussimjobbs
דרושים דרושות נהגים לעבודה בנהיגה במספר סניפים ברחבי הארץ, בהיקף ארצי, מדובר על נהיגה במספר תחומים לבחירה, נהיגה במשאית, רכב פרטי, אופנוע, ורכב מסחרי, לא נדרש ניסיון, אבל נדרש רישיון נהיגה בהתאם לתפקיד, לפרטים ניתן להירשם בקישור הבא: https://drussimjobbs.com/sign/
אתר drussimjobbs
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
1. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia
2. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Address
3. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Rooms
4. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Amenities
5. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Offers and Deals
სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
