The main trial against Ekrem İmamoğlu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a key opponent of President Erdoğan, has started in Turkey with a potential sentence of over 2000 years in prison. According to the state agency Anadolu, court hearings will take place four times a week.
İmamoğlu is already accused of a number of crimes, including forming a "criminal group," bribery, and laundering large sums of money. The opposition and human rights defenders believe that the trial has political motives.
In this case, 407 people are also accused, of whom 105 are in custody.
The court hearings for İmamoğlu's case began on Monday, March 9, nearly a year after his detention. The judge announced that the hearings will take place from Monday to Thursday. As before, the former mayor faces charges of several serious crimes, which, according to human rights organizations, are politically motivated. 407 people, including 105 detainees, are also involved in this case.
Dilek İmamoğlu, the accused's wife, emphasized in an interview with the dpa agency before the trial that Turkey is currently experiencing an important moment regarding the rule of law. "We are full of hope, as we are confident in the righteousness of our case and believe in it with all our hearts," she added, noting that an important outcome will be not only the acquittal of her husband but also the restoration of trust in the judiciary.
Former Mayor of Istanbul Sentenced to Nearly Two Years for "Threats" to Prosecutor
On July 16, 2025, the court sentenced Ekrem İmamoğlu to one year and eight months in prison for "public insult" and "threats" to Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. The investigation began after his comments about the prosecutor's "rotten" thinking and his promise to "eradicate" him from the "nation's consciousness," which followed the detention of a youth leader from his party.
İmamoğlu denied the charges. "I stand against abuses in the judicial system and its use for political purposes. This is a disgrace for our country," he stated, as reported by Halk TV.
In 2022, the former mayor was sentenced to two years and seven months for insulting members of Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) after their decision to annul the results of the 2019 Istanbul mayoral elections, in which he won. İmamoğlu appealed this sentence, which has yet to be reviewed.
İmamoğlu's Arrest and His Presidential Campaign
On March 19, 2025, İmamoğlu was arrested on suspicion of bribery and leading a criminal organization. Reports also emerged of an investigation into terrorism charges, in which he was accused of supporting the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party in Turkey.
On March 23, the court ruled to arrest İmamoğlu and suspend him from his position as mayor of Istanbul. In the presidential primary elections, his candidacy was supported by 13.2 million citizens — about 20% of all registered voters in Turkey.
The persecution of the opposition politician sparked massive protests in Turkey, the largest since 2013: in the 10 days following the former mayor's arrest, around 220 rallies in his support took place across the country. The 54-year-old İmamoğlu is seen as the main competitor to Erdoğan in the 2028 presidential elections.
The record "Erdoğan's Main Opponent Faces a Total of Over 2000 Years in Prison" was first published on K-News.
