Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a rival to President Erdogan, appeared in court following his arrest on corruption and terrorism charges. His detention has sparked significant protests against Erdogan, with claims of political motivation. Imamoglu criticized the judiciary and state media during the hearings, which could lead to a jail term and political ban. His wife and supporters attended the court, while the opposition condemned the government's actions as an attempt to silence dissent ahead of upcoming elections.