Imamoğlu Calls His Arrest the “Greatest Sabotage” Against a Terror-Free Turkey

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), has been imprisoned in Silivri Prison for five months. Speaking to journalist İsmail Saymaz from Halk TV, he described his detention as “the biggest sabotage against the ‘Terror-Free Turkey’ process.”

“Ransom Politics” Allegation

İmamoğlu accused the government of pressuring opposition mayors to switch sides by using what he called “ransom politics.”
“This method starts with blackmail through investigation files or prosecution threats. The pattern is clear: if you join the AK Party, you’re free; if not, you remain in prison. Those who pay their ransom by crossing to the government’s side escape investigations,” he stated.

Boycotts, Transfers, and Pressure

He further argued that mayors who resist face jail, while those who submit are forced into political transfer. “The meaning of these ransom-driven transfers is this: all detained CHP members are, in truth, acquitted in the eyes of the public,” he said.

Sabotage Against the Peace Commission

İmamoğlu strongly supports CHP’s participation in the “National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission” in Parliament. He went further by claiming that the March 19 Operation was another attempt to sabotage the peace initiative.
“My detention in the İBB trial is the greatest sabotage against this process. The government continues to block the commission’s success through political plots, judicial manipulation, and trustee appointments,” he added.

Response to Bahçeli’s Criticism

İmamoğlu also rejected MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s accusations, describing them as “unjust both legally and morally.”
He emphasized: “I know Bahçeli has seen the biggest sabotage against this process and understands who is responsible.”

On the Transfer of Mayors to AKP

Regarding Aydın Metropolitan Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu and four other mayors joining the AKP, İmamoğlu called it “one of the most shameful episodes in political history.” He argued that the government has misused the judiciary, applying fabricated cases, unlawful detentions, and intimidation as tools to reshape local politics.

Judicial Pressure and Ransom Politics

According to him, prosecutions, detentions, and threats serve as “the final phase of political blackmail.” Lawyers allegedly linked to prosecutors, he said, pressured detainees to sign false statements in exchange for release.
“Testimonies taken under coercion and threats cannot be seen as justice. They are products of blackmail, intimidation, and ransom,” İmamoğlu insisted.

The Role of CHP in Peace

Despite ongoing arrests of CHP figures, İmamoğlu defended his party’s role in the peace process:
“This commission is a CHP proposal. If the future of the nation is at stake, its rightful place is Parliament. We stand for democracy, disarmament, and true peace,” he said, vowing that CHP will continue its struggle against sabotage politics.

Closing Remarks

İmamoğlu concluded that while “the ruling system is trying to survive through threats and political ransoms”, the ultimate decision lies with the people:
“The day of reckoning is near. Our nation will not tolerate further injustice. We grow stronger every day.”