X Defies Turkish Court Order to Block Jailed Istanbul Mayor’s Account

The social media platform X has announced its decision to challenge a Turkish court order that restricts access to the official presidential candidacy office account of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The order, issued by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, requires X to block the account in Turkey while leaving it accessible to the rest of the world.

According to X’s global government affairs team, the platform is challenging the order in court because it believes keeping the platform accessible in Turkey is vital to supporting freedom of expression and access to information. The team stated that not complying with the order could trigger ‘severe sanctions,’ including throttling the entire platform in Turkey.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating allegations of public disseminating misleading information, which led to the creation of the court order. As a result of open-source research, it was determined that the account identified below had shared content alleged to constitute the offense under investigation and that the content was of a nature capable of disturbing public peace.

The content in question was not specified, but the investigation is part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures and politicians in Turkey. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is widely seen as the main political rival of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian president, who has been in office for nearly 12 years.

Imamoglu’s presidential candidacy office X account was created in November 2025 and has more than 225,700 followers. Access to his personal account, which has more than 9.4 million followers, was restricted in May 2025. Turkish authorities detained Imamoglu and more than 100 people on March 19, 2025, on suspicion of unlawfully recording personal data, accepting bribes, rigging tenders conducted by public institutions, and establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes.

Prosecutors allege that an organization led by Imamoglu defrauded public institutions of about $3.9 billion since 2015. If convicted, he faces 1,929 years in prison. Imamoglu and his Republican People’s Party have denied the allegations. Human Rights Watch has described his initial detention as ‘a politically motivated move to stifle lawful political activities.’

Background on the Case

The case against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is a high-profile example of the Turkish government’s crackdown on opposition figures and politicians. The government’s increasing authoritarianism has led to concerns about freedom of expression and access to information in the country.

The investigation into Imamoglu’s account is part of a broader effort to restrict the spread of information that is critical of the government. The Turkish government has been accused of using the courts to silence opposition voices and restrict access to information.

X’s decision to challenge the court order is a significant move in the case, as it highlights the platform’s commitment to supporting freedom of expression and access to information. The outcome of the case will be closely watched by observers of the Turkish government’s increasing authoritarianism.