Istanbul University Cancels His Degree... Imamoglu Faces Repressive Measures and Refuses to Surrender
The cancellation of his university degree and arrest procedures indicate organized attempts to remove Imamoglu from the political scene and prevent him from running in future presidential elections
March 19, 2025, 9:00 pm

Istanbul University Cancels His Degree... Imamoglu Faces Repressive Measures and Refuses to Surrender

رئيس بلدية إسطنبول. أكرم إمام أوغلو

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu wrote a handwritten letter to reach the public, following his detention by Turkish security forces.

Turkish security agencies detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and his media advisor on Wednesday morning. The detention order came following "investigations into a corruption case," according to our correspondent.

Imamoglu's official account on "X" platform posted a handwritten message hours after his detention. The Istanbul Mayor's letter stated: "Our nation will respond with full force to conspiracies, traps, and lies, to those who violate the rights of the people, and to those who steal the will of the people." He concluded with his distinctive handwriting: "I entrust my affairs first to God, then to our nation. With my sincere regards."

Several hours earlier, moments before his detention, Imamoglu posted a video on his official account as he was preparing to be arrested. Imamoglu declared while adjusting his tie in front of the mirror: "Hundreds of police officers have arrived at my doorstep. I surrender myself to the people." He continued: "We are facing severe repression, but I want you to know that I will not surrender."

A live broadcast from "CNN Turk" showed dozens of security forces present outside Imamoglu's residence. The channel reported that police forces were searching his home as part of ongoing investigations.

On Tuesday, Istanbul University announced the invalidation of Imamoglu's degree, one of the most prominent critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which could hinder his participation in the upcoming presidential elections. The university clarified via "X" platform that the certificates obtained by 28 people, including Imamoglu, "have been invalidated due to absence and clear error."

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
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