Dhaka, March 23 -- Turkish prosecutors on Sunday formally requested the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure and key challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, over allegations of corruption and links to terrorism.

A court is expected to rule on whether Imamoglu will be charged and held in custody pending trial.

His detention has triggered nationwide protests, with demonstrators rallying in multiple cities, decrying what they see as a politically motivated effort to sideline him ahead of Turkey's 2028 presidential election. The government denies the accusations, insisting the judiciary operates independently.

Imamoglu faced two rounds of questioning-first over corruption allegations and later regardin...