The leader of Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, has commented on the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. According to him, the incident should be considered an "attempted coup" because it directly targets the will of Istanbul's residents.

Özel emphasized that this situation is closely tied to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s refusal to accept his defeat in Istanbul’s local elections. He accused Erdoğan of trying to reclaim lost power, as reported by Factor.am .

He recalled the well-known saying, "Whoever wins Istanbul rules Turkey," noting that İmamoğlu has defeated Erdoğan four times already. This, according to Özel, is the real reason behind the interference. The opposition leader strongly condemned Erdoğan’s actions, asserting that any attempts to turn the state against its own people would be futile.

According to him, the government used every possible measure to prevent İmamoğlu’s victory in the March 31 elections. However, in the end, it was the people who determined the outcome. Özel assured that the public would once again stand firm in defending their rights.

"They are trying to destroy justice, attack the opposition—especially our party—criminalize those reporting on these events, label people as criminals for tweets or even likes, summon them for questioning, imprison them, and wear us down," he declared.

Regarding the CHP's upcoming primary elections on March 23, Özel announced that an additional ballot box would be placed as a symbol of solidarity.

"This is a ballot box for solidarity. All political parties that support democracy are invited to vote," he stated.

Özel also stressed that despite all government pressure, neither CHP nor İmamoğlu’s struggle could be halted. He expressed gratitude to 16 opposition parties for their support, emphasizing that restrictions imposed by authorities in İzmir, Ankara, and other cities were only temporary—since the people’s will would ultimately prevail.

In Turkey, 37 people have been arrested for social media posts about Istanbul’s opposition mayor. Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained as part of an investigation into terrorism, corruption, and bribery allegations. He is considered Erdoğan’s main rival in the upcoming presidential election.