Social media platform X has blocked access to the account of jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Turkey following a legal demand that has drawn widespread attention. Users attempting to view the page from within Turkey were met with a message stating that the account “has been withheld in TR in response to a legal demand,” though no further explanation was provided.

According to Turkish daily Milliyet, the decision to withhold Imamoglu’s account was the result of a court order that was subsequently forwarded to Turkey’s telecommunications regulator and inspection authority, BTK, and to X.

Imamoglu is widely viewed as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival should the incumbent seek another term, which would only be possible if a snap election is called and approved by at least 360 deputies in parliament. Under Turkey’s constitution, presidential candidates must hold a completed higher education degree.

In response to the government’s demands, X announced it had filed a legal complaint with Turkey’s Constitutional Court, challenging the order that led to the blocking of over 100 accounts, including Imamoglu’s.

The company’s decision to contest the ruling highlights growing friction between tech platforms and governments seeking to control digital discourse.

While Imamoglu’s case has garnered the most attention, it is part of a broader campaign targeting dozens of accounts associated with opposition voices, journalists, and civil society figures.

Legal notice targets opposition voices on social media

The move comes amid a crackdown on digital dissent, as Turkish authorities ramp up censorship measures targeting opposition figures and critics. 

This is not the first time X has been compelled to restrict accounts in Turkey, but Imamoglu’s high-profile status has amplified scrutiny. His account remains accessible outside the country, while Turkish users are left in the dark over the rationale for its removal.

One of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most prominent political rivals, Imamoglu, was detained in March on corruption charges. His arrest effectively disqualified him from participating in the 2028 presidential elections, where he was widely seen as the leading opposition candidate.

Imamoglu has strongly denied all allegations, calling them politically driven efforts to sideline him from the political arena. His detention triggered nationwide protests and intensified domestic criticism of Erdogan’s tightening grip on democratic institutions.

With Imamoglu behind bars and now digitally silenced, observers see this as a calculated move to neutralize a serious challenge to Erdogan’s two-decade rule ahead of the next election cycle.