08.05.2025 07:30
Access to the social media platform X account of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul who is currently detained, has been restricted. İmamoğlu had recently published a call message for the Beyazıt Rally. CHP officials reacted very strongly to the restriction placed on İmamoğlu's account.
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Access to the X social media account of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the CHP's presidential candidate and the Mayor of Istanbul (İBB), who was detained and arrested on March 19 as part of a corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, has been blocked.
HE WAS FREQUENTLY SHARING FROM HIS ACCOUNT
Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is in Silivri Prison, was frequently sharing from his social media account while protests that started on March 19, the day he was detained, continued after his arrest.
HE HAD CALLED FOR THE BEYAZIT MEETING
Recently, a call was made from İmamoğlu's account for the "Standing Up for the Will of the Nation" meeting held in Beyazıt Square. When visiting İmamoğlu's profile, the statement "Access has been restricted for @ekrem_imamoglu within TR borders as per legal request" is displayed.
REPEATED REACTIONS FROM CHP
The access restriction to İmamoğlu's account was met with great backlash within the CHP. CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın expressed his reaction to the access restriction through a post on his X account. Günaydın stated: "They have blocked access to Ekrem İmamoğlu's X account from Turkey. Just like they thought they could leave the Beyazıt Square in darkness by not allowing lighting devices in. Tomorrow, the President will have millions of X accounts. Your book does not write about honor; that has already been clear. Shame on you."
"WE WILL GROW EVEN MORE AS YOU TRY TO SILENCE US WITH CENSORSHIP"
CHP Deputy Chair Sevgi Kılıç changed her X profile to İmamoğlu's photo after the decision. Kılıç stated, "Fear has no benefit against death. As you try to silence us with censorship, we will grow even more. That account will not be closed! Because that account belongs to those who are not afraid, who do not bow to oppression, it belongs to the people! Ekrem İmamoğlu is the will of the people, he is the people themselves!" expressing her reaction.
"ACCESS RESTRICTION IS INTERFERENCE IN POLITICS"
CHP Deputy Chair Deniz Yavuzyılmaz stated that the decision is an interference in politics, saying, "The access restriction to our presidential candidate Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu's X account means interference in politics. If the X platform is free for Tayyip Erdoğan, it cannot be banned for his opponent Ekrem İmamoğlu," he said.
Source: İHA, ANKA
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