According to The New York Times, on March 18, 2025, an Istanbul court decided to arrest Istanbul’s pro-Kurdish HDP (People’s Democratic Party) leader, who was also the city’s mayor since June 2019, Ekrem Imamoglu. The courts accused Imamoglu of helping a terrorist organization, leaking a government report containing confidential information, and spreading analysis that could impact the market. The arrest comes amid Syria’s “frozen” conflict, ongoing diplomatic efforts, and discussions about Turkey’s role in brokering the peace. The charges against Imamoglu parallel a parliamentary hearing in 2019 that had involved claims of similar offenses related to helping “terrorist organizations.” This news represents three consecutive reverses for Imamoglu. Following the events, HDP officials have described the allegations as a “monstrous interpretation of law,” and some worry that this move, among other things, could harm efforts to find an end to Syria’s conflict. Supporters of Imamoglu have also criticized the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the ongoing humanitarian crisis and refugee situation, which they claim the government has not done enough to address. While the article did not document Imamoglu’s stance explicitly or any personal connections to groups that might explain the allegations, it is mentioned that the imprisonment of eight of the original 11 leaders of the HDP has made an all-out ban on Turkey’s third-largest party seem increasingly likely.
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