Statement on the arrests of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, and other 100 people and local representatives in Türkiye

With regards to the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, and Resul Emrah Şahan, Mayor of Şişli Municipality, Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), issued the following statement:

"The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, together with other 100 people and local representatives, is a disastrous day for Türkiye and one of the most dramatic demonstrations in recent years of the erosion of democracy and the rule of law in Türkiye. The arrest of one of the country's most important politicians is an attack on the democratic opposition and on local democracy.

"Indeed, Mayor İmamoğlu is not just elected leader of a city of 16 million people. He is President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, an association representing local leaders of all political stripes.

"While shocking, the arrests of Mayor İmamoğlu and Mayor Şahan do not come as a surprise. Over much of the past decade, we have seen the development of a pattern in which local elected politicians have been removed and replaced by appointees of the national government. The CoR has on many occasions expressed its profound concerns about this practice and its impact on democracy in Türkiye, both at the local and national level. We strongly reiterated this concern last December during a meeting of the CoR Working group on relations with Türkiye, hosted by Mayor Şahan and Mayor İmamoğlu in Istanbul, bringing together Turkish local leaders and CoR members.

"Our concerns have been mounting recently, following the arrests of journalists, actors, and municipal officials and threats to him personally. We express our full solidarity with Mayor İmamoğlu, Mayor Şahan and all people arrested today, and we reiterate our call again on Türkiye's government to respect the will of the people.

"The erosion of democracy and rule of law in Türkiye is the most fundamental obstacle in relations between the European Union and Türkiye, a relationship that is critical to both sides and for our shared neighbourhood." 

Background: 

• Working Group on Turkey meeting, 2 December 2024: Meeting report.
• Draft opinion by the European Committee of the Regions: 'Enlargement package 2024 - Western Balkans and Türkiye.'