Mon Mar 24 11:24:36 UTC 2025: ## Jailed Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu Nominated for Turkish Presidency

**Istanbul, Turkey** – Despite his recent arrest and imprisonment on corruption charges, Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been officially nominated as the presidential candidate for Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for the 2028 elections. The nomination, announced Monday, followed a largely symbolic primary election on Sunday where Imamoglu was the sole candidate.

Imamoglu’s arrest, which occurred just days before the primary, has been condemned by the opposition as a politically motivated move aimed at silencing a major rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The charges against Imamoglu stem from a graft and terror investigation.

Imamoglu’s election as mayor of Istanbul in 2019 was a significant setback for Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), who had controlled the city for 25 years. The AKP unsuccessfully challenged the election results, alleging irregularities. Imamoglu’s nomination now positions him as a key challenger to Erdogan in the upcoming 2028 presidential election. Over 1.5 million CHP members participated in the primary election to endorse his candidacy.

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