Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, currently imprisoned on corruption charges, was transported to the city’s main courthouse on Sunday for questioning in a newly initiated espionage investigation. The probe, launched two days prior, focuses on alleged connections between Imamoglu’s political campaign and an individual arrested in July for suspected intelligence activities on behalf of foreign states. Imamoglu’s former campaign manager, Necati Ozkan, and journalist Merdan Yanardag are also under scrutiny as part of the investigation. This marks the first time Imamoglu has left Istanbul’s Marmara Prison, where he has been held in pretrial detention since March, in seven months. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the courthouse to demonstrate solidarity with the opposition leader, who is widely seen as a political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Critics argue that the investigation is part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures, particularly following significant gains by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in last year’s local elections. CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel addressed the crowd, vowing to continue democratic resistance against what he described as oppression and injustice. Faruk Kılıç, a 26-year-old electrician, expressed his determination to support Imamoglu, stating, ‘I believe these injustices will never cease, so I will offer my support till the very end.’ Erdogan’s government maintains that the judiciary operates independently and that the investigations are solely focused on corruption.