Turkey's main Erdogan rival Imamoglu in first court appearance since arrest

The mayor of Istanbul has been imprisoned on corruption and terrorism charges, prompting mass protests.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersErdogan's main rival in Turkey makes first court appearance since arrest3 hours agoShareSavePaul KirbyEurope digital editorShareSaveEPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImamoglu supporters gathered outside the jail complex at SilivriIstanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who's Turkey's biggest rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has appeared in court for the first time since he was arrested last month and placed in a high-security jail.

Imamoglu is being held on corruption and terrorism charges, but appeared in a special court at Silivri jail in a separate case on Friday accused of trying to intimidate Istanbul's chief prosecutor.

Turkey's opposition has condemned Imamoglu's arrest as a "coup attempt against our next president" and his detention has prompted the biggest anti-Erdogan protests in more than a decade.

"I am here because I won elections three times in Istanbul," Imamoglu told the court.

"I am here under arrest because I won against the notion of 'Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey'," he added.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgexjkx3v3o

---