By Cindy Harper – Reclaim The Net
Turkey’s government has effectively silenced one of its most popular opposition voices inside the country by blocking domestic access to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s account on X.
While the account remains visible abroad and through VPNs, Turkish users can no longer see his posts, cutting off a crucial link between the jailed politician and the millions who follow him.
Imamoglu, widely regarded as the leading challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had relied on social media as a lifeline to the public following his March imprisonment. With no direct access to traditional media and barred from appearing in public, he had been dictating messages from his prison cell to his legal team, who posted them daily on his behalf.
His party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), views the move as part of an escalating strategy to erase opposition figures from public life. “Now they won’t even allow him to speak to the public,” said CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Boke. “It clearly shows the fear of those in power that they will be losing power. It’s a coup attempt against the next ballot box.”
The mayor, currently held at the high-security Marmara facility in Silivri along with nearly 100 others, including lawyers, municipal officials, and legal representatives, was arrested earlier this year on what his supporters describe as baseless corruption charges. Human rights organizations say the arrests are part of a growing campaign to crush dissent and dismantle civil society.
A notice on Imamoglu’s X page states the restriction was imposed following a legal request. Istanbul prosecutors claim the investigation centers on one of his earlier posts that called for nationwide protest and criticized the widening crackdown on political opponents. The president’s communications office claims the post may amount to incitement.
A lawyer representing X confirmed that the platform has contested the block in court, challenging what many see as a blatant act of censorship.
Amid the clampdown, supporters have turned Imamoglu’s image into a symbol of resistance online, swapping their profile pictures in solidarity.