Ankara: Turkish prosecutors have filed a comprehensive legal case against Istanbul's jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, charging him with 142 offences that could result in a sentence exceeding 2,000 years, according to court documents. Imamoglu, who is considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's primary political adversary, was arrested in March, leading to the most significant street unrest in Turkey since 2013.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the indictment against Imamoglu, which spans nearly 4,000 pages, includes allegations of running a criminal organisation, bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, extortion, and tender rigging. The state news agency Anadolu reported that these charges could result in a prison sentence of up to 2,430 years. The charges have been criticised by the head of Turkey's main opposition CHP, who condemned the indictment as "judicial interference" aimed at preventing Imamoglu from running as the CHP's candidate in the 2028 presidential election.
The indictment, filed on Tuesday, has not yet been assigned a court date. Before his arrest, Imamoglu was the mayor of Turkey's largest and wealthiest city. The allegations against him, which also include espionage and falsifying his university degree, could potentially disqualify him from participating in the 2028 presidential race. The indictment names 402 suspects and accuses Imamoglu of leading a vast crime network, wielding his influence "like an octopus."
Prior to the publication of the indictment, CHP leader Ozgur Ozel questioned the breadth of the allegations, suggesting they were politically motivated. Ozel argued that accusing someone of multiple serious crimes without evidence reflects a significant injustice, asserting that Imamoglu's only "crime" was his candidacy for the presidency.
Prosecutors have also initiated proceedings with Turkey's top appeals court against the CHP, which some observers believe could lead to the party's dissolution. However, the prosecutor's office clarified that while it had notified the court of certain irregularities, it was not seeking to close the party.
The CHP has faced increasing scrutiny since winning control of Turkey's major cities in the March 2024 local elections. Since then, 16 of its mayors have been imprisoned. In October, an Ankara court dismissed a legal challenge to the 2023 CHP leadership primary, affirming the current leadership's legitimacy. This decision maintained Ozel's position, despite his facing multiple lawsuits, including one for allegedly insulting the president.