The judiciary has rejected a request to release Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from jail pending the outcome of his corruption trial, the state news agency reported.
Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure and the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for more than two decades, was arrested on March 19 and formally jailed four days later on corruption charges.
His arrest is seen as politically motivated, aimed at eliminating his main rival before the presidential elections scheduled for 2028, but possible earlier.
The mayor's arrest and subsequent removal from office sparked the biggest wave of anti-government protests in Turkey in a decade.
The authorities claim that the judicial system functions independently and without political interference.
On Monday, Istanbul's First Instance Criminal Court decided to reject appeals from Imamoglu's lawyers, upholding his continued detention, Anadolu Agency reported.
The mayor's defense team said the investigation into Imamoglu was allegedly conducted in violation of legal norms. They are expected to continue their fight in court.
The court also rejected appeals by Murat Ongun, the head of a media company linked to the Istanbul municipality and a close associate of Imamoglu, and other suspects arrested on corruption charges along with the mayor.
Imamoglu's lawyer could not confirm this information, noting that the decision had not yet been officially communicated to him.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
