In Turkey, a court has formally arrested opposition leader, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, days after he was detained on corruption charges. İmamoğlu is President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s biggest rival and is seen by many as the best chance of ending Erdoğan’s long-standing rule. Following the news, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Istanbul, where they were met with pepper spray and tear gas by police. Over 1,000 people have been arrested in demonstrations in recent days. Ahead of his arrest, Istanbul University revoked İmamoğlu’s degree, a move which bars him from running for president. Nonetheless, his Republican People’s Party, or CHP, said Ekrem İmamoğlu received overwhelming support during Sunday’s election to select a primary candidate, including from millions of voters who are not party members. CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed Sunday’s rally in Istanbul.

Özgür Özel: “By keeping him in prison for four days, sending him to court while Turkey was going to the polls for him, and sending him to prison while Turkey was electing him, Erdoğan defied not only him, but millions, and attempted to stage a coup.”

Meanwhile, X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, has suspended a number of accounts belonging to opposition activists and academics in Turkey.