The Council of the Socialist International has called for the release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose arrest two months ago sparked a wave of protests in Turkey, AFP reported.

The arrest on March 19 and subsequent detention of Imamoglu, widely regarded as the biggest political rival to long-time President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the next presidential election in 2028, sparked the worst protests in Turkey in decades.

At a meeting in Istanbul, leaders of socialist parties from various countries, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, held posters reading “Freedom for İmamoğlu,” as shown in footage broadcast by the country's main opposition party, the CHP.

"Everyone in this room has sacrificed a lot to defend democracy. We are going through difficult times, many of our friends are in prison. We support our comrades in Belarus, Niger, Venezuela, and Turkey," said Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, who is also president of the Socialist International.

During his visit to Turkey, Sánchez also met with Erdoğan on May 23.

On the same day, Turkish media reported that police had arrested about 44 people in raids linked to alleged corruption in the Istanbul mayor's office.

Imamoglu denied the corruption allegations against him. | BGNES