Istanbul University has annulled the diploma of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, citing irregularities in his university transfer.
The move, announced on Tuesday, threatens Imamoglu’s eligibility to run for president, just days before the opposition planned to nominate him as its candidate.
Imamoglu, a two-term mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), denounced the decision as illegal and politically motivated. “Those who made this decision will be held to account in front of history and justice,” he wrote on X, vowing to continue his political fight.
The decision comes amid an escalating crackdown on opposition figures, including legal cases against Imamoglu and government-appointed trustees replacing opposition municipal officials.
The university claims that 38 students, including Imamoglu, were transferred irregularly to its Management Faculty’s English-language program in 1990.
It annulled 28 diplomas, stating they were “void” due to violations of Higher Education Board (YOK) regulations.
Imamoglu’s lawyer had previously told Reuters there were no irregularities with his diploma, and that the university had earlier ruled it valid.
Both the CHP and the nationalist IYI Party condemned the move, calling it an attempt to purge a political rival.
CHP leader Özgür Özel labeled the decision a “dark smear” and reaffirmed Imamoglu’s nomination as the opposition’s presidential candidate on March 23. IYI Party Chairman Musavat Dervisoglu warned that the annulment went beyond political rivalry, calling it a “dangerous precedent.”
If the ruling stands, Imamoglu will be barred from running for president in 2028 due to Turkey’s legal requirement for candidates to hold a university degree.
