The mayors of the B40 Balkan Cities Network initiative have signed a joint letter of solidarity calling for the ending of the pretrial detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and his Tirana counterpart Erion Veliaj.

The letter expresses grave concern regarding the emergence of a dangerous trend which threatens local democracy in the Balkans and the world, namely, the removal of democratically elected officials from office prior to any final convictions. 

“Despite our diverse political affiliations, we are united in our alarm over the indefinite pretrial detentions of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the Founding President of the B40 Network, Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, the Third President of the B40 Network, and other mayors. Removing democratically elected officials from office prior to any final convictions is not justice. It undermines the will of the voters and pose direct threats to local democracies,” the letter notices.

The October 2025 Venice Commission Report of the Council of Europe explicitly warns that the use of pretrial detention against sitting mayors constitutes a serious risk to democratic governance. When applied indefinitely, such detention effectively disenfranchises citizens by sidelining their chosen representatives without due process, the undersigned mayors write.

“Under the European Convention on Human Rights, detention must remain a measure of last resort, not a tool of political incapacitation. When an elected mayor is detained without bail or verdict, citizens are left without representation, eroding public trust and institutional legitimacy.

It is evident that the detention and judicial proceedings concerning Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Mayor Erion Veliaj are inconsistent with the principles and standards enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and articulated in the October 2025 Report of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission.”

“We emphasize what we are not seeking. We do not demand immunity, nor do we comment on the merits of the charges or on guilt or innocence. Our appeal is narrow, principled, and fully aligned with European standards.

It is our clear call to end the indefinite pretrial detention of Mayor Imamoglu and Mayor Veliaj, and other detained mayors, and to allow them to await legal proceedings in freedom while exercising the duties entrusted to them by the citizens they represent.

Justice must be transparent, proportionate, and respectful of democratic choice. We therefore urge all relevant authorities to uphold these principles and to safeguard local democracy.

We, the undersigned Mayors of the B40 Balkan Cities Network, call upon all relevant authorities to ensure the restoration of democratic mandates and the consistent application of European norms in all cases concerning elected local officials,” the letter concludes.