Istanbul, Turkey – In a dramatic escalation of Turkey's political tensions, prosecutors have indicted Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on 142 corruption-related charges, seeking a staggering 2,352-year prison term for the opposition leader.
The sweeping 3,900-page document, filed by Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, accuses İmamoğlu—currently jailed since his March arrest—of leading a criminal organization involved in bribery, extortion, money laundering, fraud, and bid-rigging. It names 402 suspects, with İmamoğlu as the primary target, and holds him accountable for dozens of additional crimes allegedly committed by subordinates.
İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the Republican People's Party (CHP) and a top challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, categorically denies the allegations, calling them a fabricated ploy to silence dissent. His arrest, alongside several city officials, ignited Turkey's largest protests in over a decade, underscoring deep divisions ahead of future elections.
"This isn't a legal case—it's pure politics," CHP leader Özgür Özel declared on X. "It's a judicial assault on democracy, designed to hobble the CHP after our electoral victories and derail our presidential hopes."
The indictment awaits court acceptance before a trial date is set. Conviction on all counts could lock İmamoğlu away for over two millennia, though such sentences are symbolic in Turkey's legal system.
This probe is just one front in a barrage of legal battles against İmamoğlu. Recent espionage charges stem from claims he leaked residents' data to foreign donors for his campaign—a charge he labels "absurd." Other cases involve insulting election officials, threatening Gürlek, and forging documents.
Opposition voices decry the actions as a post-election purge targeting CHP strongholds, with arrests rippling through allied municipalities all year. The government counters that probes are impartial, zeroing in on genuine corruption without political bias.
As Turkey braces for more unrest, İmamoğlu's fate could reshape its opposition landscape.
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