Former Istanbul mayor could serve millennia behind bars, court confirms

A Turkish court has accepted a sweeping indictment against 407 suspects, including former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who now faces a potential prison sentence exceeding 2,000 years on charges related to bribery, fraud, and organized crime.

The 40th High Criminal Court of Istanbul confirmed it had accepted the indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office following a months-long investigation into what authorities describe as the “İmamoğlu profit-oriented criminal organization.” A hearing date will be scheduled once procedural orders are finalized, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Imamoğlu, a senior figure in Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was removed from office and jailed in March along with 105 other individuals. He denies all charges.

According to prosecutors, the alleged criminal network operated over a period of 10 years, resulting in a public financial loss of 160 billion Turkish lira (approximately $3.79 billion) and an additional $24 million. Authorities also identified 95 immovable properties allegedly linked to the investigation, noting that valuations were not based on current market prices.

The indictment accuses Imamoğlu of establishing an organization to commit crimes, recording and disseminating personal data, concealing criminal evidence, obstructing communication, damaging public property, bribery, spreading misleading information, embezzlement, fraud against public institutions, laundering assets obtained through criminal means, rigging public tenders, and intentional environmental pollution. Violations of the Tax Procedure Law, Forestry Law, and Mining Law are also cited.

Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence ranging from 849 years to 2,430 years and six months for Imamoğlu. The Interior Ministry’s Civil Inspection Board is listed as the complainant, while the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and Şişli Municipality are named as parties harmed by the alleged crimes.

By Vafa Guliyeva