Over 2,000-Year Sentence for Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu

[Anthea]

Over 2,000-Year Sentence
for Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu

Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor has filed an extensive indictment against the city’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, accusing him of 142 separate criminal offenses, including corruption, bribery, fraud and money laundering, Turkish media reported

The 3,900-page indictment, submitted by Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek, names 402 suspects, with Imamoglu described as the leading figure in an alleged criminal network. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 2,352 years in prison.

Imamoglu, one of Turkey’s most prominent opposition leaders and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March along with several municipal officials. The charges stem from allegations that he led a criminal organization involved in bid-rigging, extortion and accepting bribes during his tenure as mayor. Imamoglu has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them “baseless and politically motivated.”

The indictment claims Imamoglu organized a criminal group, engaged in multiple bribery and fraud schemes, and laundered large sums of money through municipal contracts. Gurlek’s office also holds him accountable for various offenses allegedly committed by his associates.

Turkish broadcaster Haberturk reported that once the court accepts the indictment, a trial date will be set, potentially opening one of the country’s most consequential political trials in years.

The case adds to several ongoing legal proceedings against Imamoglu, who was previously charged with espionage, fraud, and insulting election officials. In the espionage case, prosecutors accused him of transferring personal data of Istanbul residents to foreign entities to secure international funding for his political campaign. He has dismissed the claims as “nonsense.”

Critics argue that the legal campaign against Imamoglu is part of a wider government effort to sideline opposition figures ahead of future national elections. His arrest in March sparked the largest protests in Turkey in more than a decade, with thousands rallying in Istanbul and other cities to demand his release.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), to which Imamoglu belongs, has denounced the proceedings as a “judicial coup,” accusing the government of manipulating the judiciary to silence dissent.

International observers and rights groups have also voiced concern about the independence of Turkey’s judiciary. The European Union and the United States have both called on Ankara to ensure due process and transparency in Imamoglu’s trial. Analysts say the case could have far-reaching political consequences, as Imamoglu had been seen as the strongest potential challenger to Erdogan in the next presidential race.

Imamoglu first gained national prominence in 2019 when he defeated the ruling party’s candidate in Istanbul’s mayoral election—a historic victory that ended more than two decades of government control over the country’s largest city. His win was seen as a significant blow to Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and inspired optimism among opposition supporters.

Since then, several opposition-held municipalities have faced waves of investigations and arrests. The government insists that these actions are not politically motivated, maintaining that the judiciary operates independently and that prosecutors are simply pursuing corruption cases.

However, political analysts and Western diplomats view the charges as part of a broader crackdown on dissent and a warning to opposition figures ahead of the 2028 presidential election. They say Imamoglu’s imprisonment could further polarize the country and deepen international concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in Turkey.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/898939