Jailed Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu to receive the 2026 Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award

The prize, awarded for the fifth time, was established by the European Committee of the Regions in cooperation with the City of Gdańsk and the International Network of Cities of Refuge (ICORN). It is awarded to local leaders – in politics or civil society – who fight autocracy, intolerance, hate speech and xenophobia. It commends the work of all elected representatives, officials, organisations, and ordinary citizens who, despite threats, are working to make democracy work at the local level, supporting better and more open communities. As part of the inter-institutional cooperation for the promotion of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, Members of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities also participated in the nomination process and in the decision of the Jury.

The jury decided that the winner of the fifth edition of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award is: Ekrem İmamoğlu, democratically elected mayor of Istanbul and chairman of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey. Despite the risks, he consistently promoted inclusive and transparent urban policies and fought for democratic rights at the local level.  He was arrested and removed from his position on 19 March 2025, along with more than 100 city officials on politically motivated charges. 27 other mayors have been dismissed by the Turkish governments, 11 of which were replaced by government appointed trustees. The arrests of opposition mayors has been condemned by the Committee of the Regions as well as by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

Ekrem İmamoğlu’s leadership is characterised by his work to transcend political, ethnic, and religious divisions, to promote unity and dignity. He has become a symbol of courage, integrity and democratic renewal in Turkey and beyond. Nuri Aslan, acting Mayor of Istanbul, thanked the jury for the award on the laureate's behalf:

"I would like to extend my greetings and appreciations to Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, the democratically elected Mayor of Istanbul and the Republican People's Party presidential candidate, who has been unjustly and illegally imprisoned for 10 months. I know that all good people in the world believe in democracy and are brave – just like Paweł Adamowicz. His legacy calls us, especially in difficult times, to speak out, to oppose fear and to stand firm in defending our common commitment to living in community. The values he defended at the cost of his life continue to be a signpost for all of us. The Paweł Adamowicz Award is awarded to those who decide to protect the light in dark times, who dare to take risks and who consider democracy to be a way of life. The fact that Ekrem İmamoğlu – three times elected mayor of Istanbul's free will, and at the same time a presidential candidate for the Republican People's Party, with the votes of 15.5 million citizens – was considered worthy of this award is more than just an individual achievement. It is international recognition of an attitude that listens to the voices of millions, nurtures hope and courageously defends local democracy. We accept this award with great honour on behalf of all those who speak out in spite of fear, who do not reject justice and who dream of a more equal and free future."

Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is being held in Marmara Prison on the outskirts of İstanbul, welcomed the award in a written statement shared by his lawyers on X, saying he was honored to be recognized with a prize symbolizing democracy, human dignity and the will to live together. He thanked the city of Gdańsk and the European Committee of the Regions and the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) as well as those who nominated and supported him. Referring to Adamowicz, İmamoğlu said the slain mayor continues to inspire local leaders who stand courageously against hate speech, discrimination and the politics of fear.

“We will continue with determination to strengthen democracy at the local level, defend justice and equality and make our cities free and inclusive”,

İmamoğlu said, while dedicating the award to citizens who, he said, continue to struggle for democracy under all circumstances.

The jury of the award also decided to award Special recognition to Mary Crilly, founder and director of the Cork Centre for Sexual Violence. For four decades, Mary Crilly has been one of the most important figures in the Irish movement for human rights, equality and non-discrimination. She is particularly known for her consistent and effective work for changes in public policy and legislation on sexual violence, domestic violence and sex-trafficking. Her work has contributed to a fundamental change in the social and institutional approach to violence against women in Ireland.

The fifth edition of the  Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award received 25 nominations, of whom five were shortlisted. The other shortlisted nominees were (in alphabetical order):

• Alexei Gorinov, Russian human rights defender, opposition politician, former member of the city council of the Krasnoselsky district in Moscow and member of the Solidarity movement;
• Pinar Selek, Turkish sociologist and human rights activist;
• Tiro Association for Arts, a pioneering cultural institution in Lebanon.