A Turkish prosecutor has demanded a staggering prison sentence of more than 2,000 years for Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed opposition mayor of Istanbul, accusing him of masterminding a massive corruption network that allegedly drained billions from state coffers.
According to an indictment obtained by Reuters, Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands accused of leading a criminal organization involved in bribery, fraud, and bid-rigging that cost Turkey an estimated 160 billion lira (about $3.8 billion) over the past decade.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, announced that 402 suspects, including Imamoglu, were named in the over 4,000-page indictment. It reportedly includes digital and video evidence, expert analyses, and findings from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). The document allegedly describes Imamoglu as the founder and head of the criminal network, claiming several businesspeople were coerced into paying bribes through a secret fund linked to the Istanbul municipality.
Neither Imamoglu’s legal team nor the Istanbul municipality has commented on the latest charges. However, the opposition’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) — which Imamoglu leads — has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and “shameful.”
CHP’s Istanbul head, Ozgur Celik, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the case was designed to derail Imamoglu’s political future, describing the indictment as “nonsense.”
In a further escalation, the Istanbul prosecutor’s office has asked Turkey’s top court to consider dissolving the CHP, alleging the party was financed through illicit funds and engaged in prohibited financial transactions.
Imamoglu, seen by many as Erdogan’s strongest opponent ahead of future elections, has been detained since March pending trial on corruption charges. He was separately convicted in July for insulting a prosecutor — a verdict he is currently appealing.
The government insists Turkey’s judiciary operates independently and rejects claims that the prosecution is politically driven.
