In a significant development in Istanbul, six prominent Turkish journalists were called in for questioning by police on Thursday. The investigation revolves around allegations that they spread false information regarding reports about the imprisoned opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office stated that the journalists were being investigated for “publicly disseminating false information and aiding a criminal organization,” specifically referencing the so-called “Imamoglu criminal organization for profit.” However, it remains unclear whether formal charges have been or will be filed against them. Imamoglu, a key figure in the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and a formidable challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule, was arrested in March over corruption allegations and has been detained since. His arrest sparked the largest street protests in Turkey in over a decade. The journalists in question—Soner Yalcin, Saban Sevinc, Asli Aydintasbas, Rusen Cakir, Yavuz Oghan, and Batuhan Colak—have all publicly questioned the legitimacy of the cases against Imamoglu, which many view as politically motivated. Burhanettin Bulut, deputy chairman of the CHP, condemned the police’s early morning raids on the journalists’ homes and the confiscation of their phones, calling it a “de facto detention” aimed at intimidating the opposition and suppressing press freedom. Turkey’s press freedom remains under scrutiny, with Reporters Without Borders ranking the country 159th out of 180 in its 2025 press freedom index.