Turkish authorities have arrested a second lawyer of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu amid investigations into alleged corruption in the major municipality. The lawyer, Nusret Yilmaz, was detained early Tuesday in Trabzon and taken to Istanbul for questioning as part of the ongoing investigations. Yilmaz is a childhood friend and legal representative of Imamoglu and also represents his wife, Dilek Imamoglu. Previously, another lawyer, Mohammad Bahlawan, was detained and remains in custody. The Republican People’s Party, to which Imamoglu belongs and is its presidential candidate, considers these arrests attempts to deprive him of his right to defense. Imamoglu, seen as a leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on March 19, 2024, in a probe involving over 100 municipal officials suspected of corruption, bribery, and tender manipulation.

The opposition claims these investigations are politically motivated to prevent Imamoglu’s presidential candidacy and weaken the Republican People’s Party after its local election victories in March 2024. Imamoglu’s detention sparked the largest protests in Turkey since 2013, with weekly rallies demanding his release and early elections led by opposition leader Ozgur Ozel. The arrest of Imamoglu’s second lawyer comes days before a delegation from the European Local Governments Network (Eurocities) visits Istanbul to present Imamoglu with a ‘Special Democracy Award’ and visit him in Silivri prison. Meanwhile, President Erdogan continues to attack the opposition and accuse its municipalities of corruption, asserting that the era of exploiting public wealth and turning municipalities into family properties is over. Erdogan also criticized opposition calls for boycotts of government-affiliated companies and media, claiming such efforts have backfired.

Opposition leader Ozel reiterated his commitment to winning upcoming elections, nominating Imamoglu for presidency, and holding Erdogan’s government accountable for alleged wrongdoings against his party and the Turkish people.