Statement by the Pact of Free Cities on the Arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu

The Pact of Free Cities was established to uphold and promote the core values of freedom, democracy, human dignity, equality, rule of law, social justice, tolerance, and cultural diversity. We believe that the detention of Mayor İmamoğlu, especially under charges that many perceive as politically motivated, represents a significant threat to these fundamental principles.

Mayor İmamoğlu's leadership in Istanbul has been instrumental in advocating for democratic values and progressive urban policies. We recall that the Mayor of Istanbul has been under continuous political attack by the official authorities of Turkey. His recent arrest goes against any acceptable political maneuver in a democratic society. It not only undermines the democratic will of Istanbul's residents but also sets a concerning precedent for local governance and political plurality in Turkey.

We stand in full solidarity with Mayor İmamoğlu and the citizens of Istanbul during this challenging time. We call upon Turkish authorities to ensure that democratic political competition is not hindered by any illiberal instruments of state power and that fundamental democratic rights are respected. We demand that due process is followed transparently. We also urge the international community to remain vigilant and to advocate for the protection of democratic institutions and leaders worldwide.

The Pact of Free Cities remains committed to supporting cities and leaders who champion democracy and open societies. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and offer our support to those who strive to uphold the values we collectively cherish.

Femke Halsema, Mayor of Amsterdam

Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona

Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin

Matúš Vallo, Mayor of Bratislava

Philippe Close, Mayor of the City of Brussels

Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest

Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence

Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk

Peter Tschentscher, Mayor of Hamburg

Vitaliy Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv

Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan

Dieter Reiter, Lord Mayor of Munich

Katrin Albsteiger, Mayor of Neu-Ulm

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris

Bohuslav Svoboda, Mayor of Prague

Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome

Vassil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia

Dominic Fritz, Mayor of Timișoara

Martin Ansbacher, Mayor of Ulm

Valdas Benkunskas, Mayor of Vilnius

Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw

Tomislav Tomašević, Mayor of Zagreb