The Turkish court formalizes the detention of Erdogan’s challenger

• Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was formally arrested and jailed pending a corruption trial.

• The arrest follows a raid on his residence, sparking the largest wave of street demonstrations in Turkiye in over a decade.

• The court decided to jail Imamoglu on suspicions of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data, and bid-rigging.

• A request for his imprisonment on terror-related charges was rejected, but he still faces prosecution.

• 47 others were also jailed pending trial, including a key aide and two district Mayors.

• The arrest comes as the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) began holding a primary presidential election to endorse Imamoglu.