Mayors from across Europe convened in Istanbul to award imprisoned opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu a ‘special recognition award,’ in a ceremony widely interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with Turkey’s embattled opposition.

Mayors and representatives from across Europe — including Barcelona, Zagreb, Athens, Timișoara, Utrecht, Budapest, Paris and Madrid — gathered in Istanbul for the event. Among them were Barcelona’s Jaume Collboni, vice-president of the Eurocities network, and Sofia’s Vasil Terziev, who chairs the Balkan Cities Network (B40).

The delegation was welcomed by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s deputy mayor, Nuri Aslan, with senior officials from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the mayors of Bursa and Muğla also in attendance.

Aslan condemned what he described as the “unjust” imprisonment of İmamoğlu, noting that European colleagues had stood in solidarity with Istanbul “from the very first days.” He added that the delegation’s request to visit İmamoğlu in prison had been denied by Turkey’s Ministry of Justice.

İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s elected mayor and one of the most prominent figures in the CHP, has been held since 19 March on charges of corruption and abuse of office. His supporters insist the case is........

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