Turkey Charges Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu With Massive Corruption Case as Opposition Calls It “Political Coup”

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — widely viewed as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s most serious political rival — has been indicted on 142 counts of corruption, in a sweeping prosecution that could carry up to 2,430 years in prison. The charges, revealed after an eight-month investigation, also target 401 additional suspects and include allegations of bribery, money laundering, and bid rigging. The opposition says the case is a politically motivated attempt to prevent İmamoğlu from running for president in 2028 — and to shut down his party altogether.

Prosecutor Alleges “Criminal Organization” Led by İmamoğlu

The indictment, filed by Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gürlek, accuses İmamoğlu of founding and directing a large-scale corruption network inside the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

According to the indictment:

• İmamoğlu faces 70 counts of bid rigging

• 47 counts of bribery

• 39 counts of fraud against public institutions

• Multiple counts of laundering criminal proceeds

Prosecutors estimate losses to the Turkish state at:

• 160 billion lira (≈ $3.8 billion)

• Plus $24 million in movable assets

A total of 402 people are charged, including senior municipal officials. Prosecutors claim several businessmen were forced to pay bribes into a secret municipal fund. Reuters reported that prosecutor filings cite MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board), digital records, expert analyses, and video evidence — although the allegations could not be independently verified.

İmamoğlu in Custody Since March — Opposition Sees “Judicial Coup”

İmamoğlu has been held in pre-trial detention since March. He denies wrongdoing and calls the case a government-led attack designed to sideline him from national politics.

CHP leader Özgür Özel sharply condemned the indictment:

“This case is not legal — it is entirely political. Its purpose is to block the CHP and prevent İmamoğlu from running for president.”

The CHP says the accusations — including claims that İmamoğlu is simultaneously a fraudster, thief, terrorist, and spy — are absurd.

“His only crime is wanting to run for the presidency of this country,” Özel told parliament.

Prosecutor Also Moves to Shut Down the CHP

In a separate escalation, the prosecutor asked Turkey’s top appeals court to evaluate whether the CHP should be closed on grounds of “illicit financing” — a move without precedent against the party founded by Atatürk.

The prosecutor’s office later issued a statement saying it had only “informed” the court of irregularities, but did not deny the possibility of party closure proceedings.

Opposition figures call it judicial engineering before 2028 elections.

Since CHP seized control of Turkey’s biggest cities in March 2024, 16 CHP mayors have been imprisoned.

2028 Election Front and Center

With Erdoğan’s political dominance showing signs of erosion, İmamoğlu is seen as the strongest challenger for 2028. Polls have consistently shown him as the only figure capable of defeating Erdoğan or a successor candidate.

The mayor remains the CHP’s official presidential nominee.

If convicted, İmamoğlu faces:

• Permanent ban from politics

• Life-long disqualification from public office

• A prison term exceeding two millennia

The trial date has not yet been announced.

Various internatioanl press sources

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