Archive photo. Prosecutors seek up to 2352 years in prison for former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu
Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek stated that the investigation is complete and the indictment covers 3900 pages, featuring 402 individuals suspected of organizing a criminal group led by İmamoğlu. Currently, 105 of them are already in custody.
Among the 143 episodes of crimes mentioned in the indictment, prosecutors highlighted 12 instances of bribery, 7 instances of money laundering, and 7 instances of fraud.
The Attorney General's Office intends to request a sentence for İmamoğlu ranging from 828 to 2352 years in prison, according to the report.
It is worth noting that in July 2025, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is a key opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, received a sentence of 1 year and 8 months in prison for "public insult" and "threats" against prosecutor Akın Gürlek, which occurred in January 2025. Specific details of his statements were not disclosed.
According to reports, İmamoğlu was detained on March 19, 2025, which triggered mass protests across Turkey. Shortly after, he was removed from his position as mayor and accused of bribery. The 53-year-old İmamoğlu was seen as the main contender for the presidency in the upcoming 2028 elections.
The main opposition party in Turkey, the CHP, confirmed his candidacy for the presidential elections.
