ISTANBUL, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was suspended from office and detained on corruption charges, Türkiye's Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry, in a statement on social media platform X, described Imamoglu's removal as a "temporary measure under the law," citing allegations of unlawful acquisition of personal data for profit, bribery, tender rigging, and establishing a criminal organization.
Imamoglu, who denies the accusations, had been held for questioning since Wednesday. He was formally arrested after providing a statement in court on Sunday and transferred to Marmara Prison in Istanbul's Silivri district.
Imamoglu, from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), won a second term as Istanbul mayor in March 2024, defeating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party candidate, Murat Kurum. ■
