Access to the social media account of Istanbul’s jailed opposition mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has been blocked in Turkey, in what critics are calling a deepening of the government’s crackdown on dissent.
The move prevents İmamoğlu—widely considered President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s most formidable political rival—from directly communicating with his 9.7 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). While his posts remain visible abroad, users in Turkey can now only view them through the use of a virtual private network (VPN).
The Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s main opposition party, described the block as the latest step in what it calls “a coup attempt against the ballot box.” İmamoğlu, who has been elected mayor of Istanbul three times, has been imprisoned since March on corruption charges, which he denies. His arrest has sparked massive protests, with tens of thousands taking to the streets in Istanbul and other cities.
“Now they won’t even allow him to speak to the public,” said CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Böke. “It clearly shows the fear of those in power that they will be losing power.”
The social media platform X said a legal demand from Turkish authorities prompted the block. According to Turkey’s Presidential Communications Office, prosecutors are investigating a previous post by İmamoğlu that allegedly incited public unrest by urging citizens to “raise their voice” against the government crackdown.
İmamoğlu had continued to communicate with supporters from prison by sending daily messages via his legal team. The latest restriction is being viewed by observers as a strategic move to erase his public presence ahead of future elections, despite the next presidential vote being scheduled for 2028.
The legal team representing X has reportedly filed a court appeal to overturn the block.
İmamoğlu is currently held in the Marmara high-security prison in Silivri, outside Istanbul. Over 100 individuals, including city officials and members of the CHP, were detained alongside him. Human rights organizations have condemned the arrests as part of a growing authoritarian trend, accusing the Erdoğan government of weaponizing the judiciary.
