Municipal leaders play a crucial role in addressing pressing societal challenges, fostering sustainable development, and ensuring the well-being of their communities. At ICLEI Europe, we have seen with concern recent developments involving the detainment of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul (Türkiye) and President of the Turkish Union of Municipalities. 

We recognise the importance of due process and transparency in all legal matters and advocate for a fair and just resolution. At the same time we stand strong for the principles of democracy, open electoral participation and good governance. Ensuring that all elected municipal leaders can fulfill their democratic mandates without undue interference is paramount to functional local governance.

In a recent joint statement, Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Mayor of Malmö (Sweden) and President of ICLEI, Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku (Finland) and First Vice President of ICLEI, Martin W. W. Horn, Lord Mayor Freiburg (Germany) and President of ICLEI Europe alongside Katja Dörner, Lord Mayor of Bonn (Germany) and Chair of the Climate Action Governance Portfolio of ICLEI’s Global Executive Committee said: 

As ICLEI and colleague Mayors we truly regret the detainment of the Mayor of Istanbul and President of the Turkish Union of Municipalities, Ekrem İmamoğlu. We hope that the truth around the Mayor's innocence will be revealed soon.

As ICLEI we stand strongly for respecting the principles of democracy allowing open participation in elections, ability to govern by elected mayors as well as the rule of law in all its aspects.

We wish all affected strength in these challenging times.