Turkish prosecutors filed a near 4,000‑page indictment on Tuesday charging jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu with 142 offences that could carry up to 2,430 years in prison. The document names 402 suspects and accuses Imamoglu of crimes ranging from bribery and embezzlement to running a criminal organisation. CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the case as politically motivated and said it aims to block Imamoglu from future presidential bids. Prosecutors have also filed papers with the appeals court concerning the CHP, a move that observers say could lead to attempts to challenge or close the party.
Prosecutors Seek Up to 2,430 Years for Erdogan Rival Ekrem Imamoglu in 4,000‑Page Indictment
Turkish prosecutors filed a near 4,000‑page indictment on Tuesday charging jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu with 142 offences that could carry up to 2,430 years in prison. The document names 402 suspects and accuses Imamoglu of crimes ranging from bribery and embezzlement to running a criminal organisation. CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the case as politically motivated and said it aims to block Imamoglu from future presidential bids. Prosecutors have also filed papers with the appeals court concerning the CHP, a move that observers say could lead to attempts to challenge or close the party.
09:42 PM, 11/11/2025Politics
Turkish prosecutors file sprawling case against prominent opposition mayor
Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday lodged a near 4,000‑page indictment charging jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu with 142 offences that, if upheld, could carry a combined sentence of up to 2,430 years, court documents and state media said.
The indictment, which names 402 suspects, accuses the well‑known opposition figure of a wide range of crimes, including organising a criminal group, bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, extortion and manipulating public tenders. Prosecutors say the allegations describe a sprawling network over which Imamoglu exercised influence "like an octopus."
Imamoglu, widely regarded as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most potent political rival and seen by many as the only politician capable of defeating him at the ballot box, was arrested in March. His detention prompted some of the sharpest street unrest Turkey has seen since 2013.
Political context and reactions
The head of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), denounced the indictment as politicised. "This case is not legal, it is entirely political. Its purpose is to stop the CHP, which came first in the last local elections, and to block its presidential candidate," CHP leader Özgür Özel wrote on X.
"Can someone be both an electoral fraudster, hold a forged decree, and be a thief, a terrorist, and a spy all at the same time?" Özel asked, arguing that attaching numerous allegations to a single individual amounts to a political, not a legal, campaign.
Prosecutors have also filed papers with Turkey's top appeals court concerning the CHP, a step observers say could open the door to efforts to close the party — a claim the prosecutor's office says it has denied, while confirming it informed the court about alleged irregularities.
Since the March 2024 local elections, when the CHP won control of Turkey's largest cities, the party has faced mounting pressure: authorities have jailed 16 of its mayors, and several senior party figures are subject to legal actions and challenges.
The indictment was formally filed on Tuesday; a court date has not yet been set. In addition to the charges noted above, prosecutors allege Imamoglu faces other accusations, including espionage and falsifying university qualifications — allegations that could, if sustained, bar him from running in future presidential contests.
What to watch next: The scheduling of the court hearing, whether the indictment is amended or narrowed, and any formal moves by higher courts regarding the CHP could shape Turkey's political landscape ahead of the next presidential election.