ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The social media platform X said Wednesday it had received an order from Turkey to restrict access to the presidential campaign account of detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, adding that it has taken a legal challenge against the dictate.

Erdogan’s administration and his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) have heavily cracked down on the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) after it secured major victories in the 2024 local elections, with Imamoglu and other party leaders facing corruption and espionage-related trials they claim are politically motivated.

“X received an order to restrict access in Turkey to the official Presidential Candidacy Office account of the now-detained Mayor of Istanbul,” X's Global Government Affairs account said in a statement.

“Although Turkey’s laws force us to comply with the order, we are challenging the order in court and, in the spirit of full transparency, are sharing the court order,” it said.

An image of the court order said that the dictate had been issued on July 29, noting that Turkish law allows the president or relevant ministries to block access to internet publications for "one or more of the following reasons: the protection of the right to life and the safety of persons and property, the protection of national security and public order, the prevention of crime, or the protection of public health."

Imamoglu has been imprisoned for more than a year and is currently standing trial alongside 413 co-defendants. Prosecutors are seeking up to 2,430 years in prison if he is convicted.

A Turkish court ruling in May also annulled the CHP Istanbul provincial congress held on October 8, 2023, along with all decisions taken during that gathering, thus ousting party leader Ozgur Ozel, who subsequently fomed a new opposition party.

“X will continue legally challenging requests to remove content in Türkiye and around the world when those requests do not align with principles of free expression, due process, or other local laws,” the statement added.

The platform also noted that it had received a similar order in May 2025 to restrict access to Imamoglu’s account in Turkey.

Following Imamoglu's detention, Turkish authorities arrested hundreds of protesters during demonstrations across the country calling for his release.

In March 2025, several Turkish television channels were suspended for 10 days following protests over Imamoglu's detention, as authorities intensified their crackdown on media coverage.