Security forces escorted arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu to Silivri, a massive prison-courthouse complex on the city’s European side, on Sunday. Hours earlier, Imamoğlu, who spent about four days in detention, was ordered to be arrested by a court on corruption charges. Judges ruled out a second arrest verdict for Imamoğlu on charges of aiding the PKK terrorist group.
Along with Imamoğlu, 50 other suspects in the same cases were taken to prison after their questioning and other legal proceedings at the main courthouse of the city in the Çağlayan quarters. Tight security measures were taken both around the courthouse and in the Silivri compound.
Imamoğlu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) had called the public to take to the streets to protest the mayor’s arrest, and subsequent protests escalated into violent riots.
The prison in Silivri, formally known as Marmara Prison, houses many high-profile convicts and those awaiting verdicts, including CHP mayors like Imamoğlu, who were charged with corruption or aiding terrorists. The prison also hosts prominent members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) who were involved in the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
