The request by European mayors who arrived in Turkey to visit the dismissed mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is in prison in Silivri, was rejected by the Ministry of Justice, Halk TV reported.

The mayors were welcomed today in the Istanbul municipality of Sarajane by Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan and visited the municipality building. After his welcome speech, Aslan said that the Ministry of Justice had refused to allow the European mayors to visit Imamoglu in Silivri.

Nuri Aslan said that the mayors of Eurocities and B40 member cities would go to Silivri at 2 p.m. to offer their support, even though they had not received permission from the ministry.

The "Special Award for Democracy" given to Imamoglu by the European mayors was presented to the arrested mayor's wife, Dilek Imamoglu. The award was given to Imamoglu by Barcelona Mayor Colboni. 

Imamoğlu was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. He was arrested on March 19 in connection with a corruption investigation and allegations of ties to terrorists.

The series of charges against him could prevent him from running in the next presidential election.

His arrest sparked demonstrations across the country, which turned into the most serious street riots since the Gezi Park protests in 2013, which spread throughout Turkey and were brutally suppressed by the police. | BGNES