Turkey Blocks Jailed Opposition Leader Imamoglu’s X Account, Prompting Censorship Accusations

Turkish authorities have blocked domestic access to the X (formerly Twitter) account of Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, silencing one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most prominent political rivals. While the account remains accessible outside Turkey, the ban prevents Imamoglu from communicating with his 9.7 million followers inside the country.

Imamoglu, a three-time elected mayor of Istanbul and a leading figure in the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has used social media as a primary channel to communicate from prison. With his messages relayed via lawyers, he had continued to post daily updates and political statements.

CHP officials condemned the block as part of an ongoing crackdown. “Now they won’t even allow him to speak to the public,” said CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Boke. She described the move as a continuation of the “coup attempt” that began with his arrest on March 19.

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office is reportedly investigating one of Imamoglu’s recent posts, accusing it of inciting public unrest. The post criticized his arrest and called on citizens to raise their voices in protest.

A message posted on Imamoglu’s X account stated that access had been restricted due to a legal order. The account remains visible inside Turkey only through the use of VPN services. A lawyer representing X has filed a legal challenge against the ban on behalf of the platform.

Elon Musk and his company have come under criticism for complying with the block. “Elon Musk has blocked the account of the hostage mayor and presidential candidate, upon Erdogan’s request,” said Yusuf Can, an analyst at the Wilson Center. “We are all Imamoglu.”

Imamoglu, who is currently held in Marmara high-security prison in Silivri, denies the corruption charges against him. His arrest sparked the largest anti-government protests in Turkey in more than a decade, with tens of thousands rallying in Istanbul and other cities. Over 2,000 people were detained during the initial protests, including students and city officials.

Despite being behind bars, opinion polls suggest Imamoglu could defeat Erdogan in a presidential election, though the next one is not scheduled until 2028. Human rights groups say his detention is politically motivated and part of a broader crackdown on civil society. The Turkish government maintains that the judiciary operates independently.

In his final message before the ban, Imamoglu called for a mass protest in Istanbul. The rally, held Wednesday night, drew one of the largest crowds in recent weeks, signaling that his influence remains strong even in detention.