Turkey's main rival in Imamoglu at the first appearance after the arrest

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is Turkey's largest rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appeared in court for the first time since he was arrested last month and put in prison with high security.

Imamoglu is conducted on accusations of corruption and terrorism, but appeared in a special court in Silivri Prison in a separate case on Friday, charged with an attempt to intimidate Istanbul's Attorney General.

Turkey's opposition has condemned Imamoglu's arrest as “an attempt to coup against our next president” and its detention has sparked the largest anti-erodogan protests for more than a decade.

“I'm here because I won elections three times in Istanbul,” Imamoglu told the court.

“I'm under arrest here because I won the concept” that Istanbul won, wins Turkey, “he added.

Imamoglu refers to President Erdogan, who has launched his political career as mayor of the largest city in Turkey and has often used the phrase.

The crowds gathered outside the complex in support of the mayor of Istanbul, whose detention is widely regarded as politically motivated. The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly called on the Turkish authorities to refuse the allegations and release it immediately.

The government of Turkey, however, rejected allegations of political intervention, insisting that the judiciary was independent.

The 53-year-old mayor faced two hearing on Friday, which carries the risk of both prison and a prohibition on politics.

The first case, claiming that threats against Istanbul Prosecutor General Akin Gurlek after the arrest of a district mayor was postponed until June.

Greck, a former Erdogan's Deputy Minister of Justice, has been accused by the opposition of acting as a “mobile guillotine” for the president when referring to his opponents in Istanbul.

No case on Friday was related to his arrest on March 19 on suspicion of managing criminal organization and extortion, but prosecutors seek prison for up to seven years and four months for the Gurlek case.

Imamoglu was also critical of the Turkish state operator TRT, which he said was funded by citizens' taxes and “should broadcast this hearing instead of reporting lies and slander to discredit me.”

His wife Dilek attended the hearing with one of their children and several MPs.

It has played a prominent role in the protests that have been opened by Turkey after the arrest of Imamoglu, and for the coming days and weeks, additional rallies are planned.

The protests are accompanied by about 2000 arrests.

In the last two days, the courts in Istanbul have either released or released 185 people who have participated in demonstrations against the detention of the mayor on Sarahan Square in Istanbul.

Two journalists working for promotion newspapers were also released on Friday to investigate the sale of a television station.

One of the newspapers, Cumhuriyet, said their arrests were part of a plan to intimidate media and government critics.

The opposition has accused prosecutors of targeting the elected employees in an attempt to invalidate all opposing votes before the national elections.

The presidential election is not due in Turkey until 2028 and without a change in the Constitution, Erdogan will not have the right to uphold another term.

However, it can run if Parliament calls early elections.