On Jan. 23 a Turkish court rejected jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's challenge to the annulment of his university degree, undermining his eligibility to run for president in 2028. Imamoglu has been detained since last March on corruption charges and separately received a July sentence for insulting the city's chief prosecutor. The CHP and several international critics call the moves politically motivated, while the government insists the judiciary remains independent. His legal team plans to appeal.
Turkish Court Dismisses Ekrem Imamoglu's Degree Challenge, Jeopardizing 2028 Presidential Bid
FILE PHOTO: Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, re-elected on Sunday, greets his supporters after receiving mayoral certificate in front of the Caglayan Courthouse in Istanbul, Turkey April 3, 2024. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya/ File Photo
On Jan. 23 in Istanbul, a Turkish court dismissed a lawsuit filed by jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu seeking to reverse the annulment of his university degree, his lawyers said. The ruling is a fresh setback to Imamoglu's ability to run for president in the next election.
Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's principal political rival, has been detained since last March while awaiting trial on corruption charges. In a separate case in July, he was sentenced to prison for insulting and threatening Istanbul's chief prosecutor.
Under Turkish election law, presidential candidates must hold a university degree; the cancellation of Imamoglu's diploma therefore removes his eligibility to stand. His legal team said they will appeal the court's decision.
Context And Reactions
Istanbul University announced in March that it had annulled Imamoglu's degree just days before opposition leaders selected him as their prospective presidential candidate for the election scheduled in 2028. Imamoglu has maintained the university's action was illegal and outside its jurisdiction.
The ruling and Imamoglu's detention have drawn sharp criticism from his Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, several Western officials and human rights groups, who describe the measures as politically motivated and anti-democratic attempts to sideline a leading challenger to Erdogan. The Turkish government rejects such allegations, insisting the judiciary is independent and that there has been no political interference.
CHP Vice Chair Burhanettin Bulut said on X that the court’s dismissal of the diploma challenge amounted to a political decision and demonstrated the judiciary was being used against rivals.
The case is expected to continue through appeals, and the legal outcome will shape whether Imamoglu can eventually stand in the 2028 presidential race. Observers say the dispute highlights growing tensions over the independence of Turkey's institutions and the broader political battle ahead of the election.
Help us improve.
