Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's university degree revoked

Istanbul University announced the revocation of the university degree of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, citing a forged degree.

In a statement, the university said it would send all information and documents related to its decision to the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office and the Council of Higher Education.

The statement added: "38 people, including İmamoğlu, transferred irregularly from universities in 1990 to the English program at the Faculty of Management. Ten of these transfers have had their transfers revoked."

It continued: "The degrees of 28 other people were revoked for being invalid and due to clear errors regarding the regulations of the Higher Education Council."

Imamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and a member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), described the decision on his Twitter account, asserting that it was "illegal."

He added: "They do not have the authority to make such a decision; the authority lies solely with the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Business Administration."

He continued: "The day of accountability before history and justice is near for those who made this decision. The march of our nation, thirsting for justice, law, and democracy, cannot be stopped... There is no salvation for you if you walk alone."

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into the crime of "forging official documents" following reports that Istanbul Technical University Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's bachelor's degree was forged, as well as the findings of a report prepared by the Council of Higher Education regarding the forgery of his degree.

In its first letter to Istanbul University, the Public Prosecutor's Office noted that Eastern Mediterranean University was the only recognized higher education institution operating in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus during the period in question.

The scrutiny of İmamoğlu's university degree coincides with the Republican People's Party's (CHP) announcement that İmamoğlu is its candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.