Social media platform X has restricted access in Turkey to the presidential campaign account of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu following a Turkish court order.
The company said Tuesday that Turkish law required it to enforce the restriction. However, X opposed the ruling and launched legal proceedings to challenge it.
X court order against Imamoglu cites national security and public order
An Istanbul court ordered X to restrict access to the campaign account to protect national security and public order, according to a copy of the ruling that the company published. The account had approximately 225,700 followers when X imposed the restriction.
The measure affects users in Turkey, while people in other countries may continue to access the account. X said it would follow the order while contesting the decision through the Turkish legal system.
X received an order to restrict access in Türkiye to the official Presidential Candidacy Office account of the now-detained Mayor of Istanbul. Although Türkiye’s laws force us to comply with the order, we are challenging the order in court and, in the spirit of full transparency,… pic.twitter.com/shbxPLYJHm
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 4, 2026
Imamoglu remains imprisoned as X restricts campaign account
Turkish authorities detained Imamoglu on March 19, 2025. Many observers regard him as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival. His detention triggered Turkey’s largest anti-government protests in more than a decade.
Demonstrators took to the streets across the country to oppose the legal action against the Istanbul mayor. Imamoglu remains in jail pending trial on charges that include corruption, espionage, and terrorism. He denies all allegations.
Opposition party chose Imamoglu as presidential candidate
Several days after his detention, members of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) chose Imamoglu as their presidential candidate in an internal vote.
The decision strengthened his position as the opposition’s leading prospective challenger to Erdogan. CHP members proceeded with the vote despite the criminal cases against Imamoglu and growing uncertainty over whether he could legally enter the presidential race.
Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s diploma
Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s university diploma on March 18, 2025, one day before authorities detained him. Turkish law requires presidential candidates to hold a university degree.
The university’s decision could therefore prevent Imamoglu from running unless a court or other competent authority reverses it. The timing of the diploma annulment and his arrest prompted opposition figures to accuse Turkish authorities of using state institutions and the judiciary to remove Erdogan’s strongest political opponent.
The latest action follows a similar court order involving Imamoglu’s primary X account, which had nearly ten million followers. X restricted that account in Turkey in May 2025 and also challenged the order in court.
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