Turkey has been plunged into a political crisis after the authorities arrested Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and the top rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on accusations of corruption and supporting terrorism.
The biggest protests in more than a decade have erupted across the country, with Mr. Imamoglu ousted from his position and jailed hours before Turkey’s main opposition party designated him its candidate in the next presidential election.
Mr. Imamoglu has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. Many people have accused the government of using the courts to sideline a perceived political threat to Mr. Erdogan, who has led Turkey since 2003, and have called for his release.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who is Ekrem Imamoglu?
Mr. Imamoglu became the mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and economic engine, in 2019, after defeating a candidate backed by Mr. Erdogan. He was re-elected twice, and some polls suggest that he could beat Mr. Erdogan in a head-to-head race for the presidency.
On March 19, scores of police officers arrested Mr. Imamoglu at his home after state prosecutors accused him of corruption in municipal business and supporting terrorism. Four days later, the government removed him from office and jailed him pending trial on the corruption charges.