Istanbul Mayor arrested in corruption probe, suspended from office

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been arrested as part of a wide-reaching corruption investigation, with the Turkish Interior Ministry confirming his suspension from office as a temporary measure.

The arrest occurred earlier on March 23, with İmamoğlu detained by the criminal court in connection to a corruption investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an official statement detailing the charges against the mayor. According to the statement, İmamoğlu is accused of establishing and leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, unlawfully recording personal data, and interfering with a public tender.

The investigation, which includes 100 suspects, is focused on a range of serious allegations, including leading a criminal organization, membership in a criminal organization, embezzlement, bribery, aggravated fraud, unlawful acquisition of personal data, and rigging public tenders.

The prosecution has been handling the case, with a criminal court ruling for İmamoğlu’s arrest after reviewing the charges. Several other individuals, including Murat Ongun, an aide to the mayor and chairman of Medya Inc. — a company owned by the municipality — and Tuncay Yılmaz, General Manager of the Imamoglu Insaat Company, were also arrested as part of the investigation.

Following their processing at the police station, the suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan for proceedings before the criminal court.

The Interior Ministry also announced the temporary suspension of two additional mayors from the Istanbul metropolitan area. Mehmet Murat Çalık, mayor of Beylikdüzü, and Resul Emrah Şahan, mayor of Şişli, have both been suspended after arrests. Çalık faces charges of “extortion” and “membership in a criminal organization,” while Şahan is accused of “aiding an armed terrorist organization.” These decisions were made following rulings by Istanbul’s 6th and 10th Criminal Courts, respectively.

As part of the ongoing investigation, the Interior Ministry also confirmed that proceedings for other suspects continue.

In the wake of the suspensions, the Istanbul Governorship announced that both the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Beylikdüzü Municipal Assemblies would convene on Wednesday to elect acting mayors to temporarily assume leadership roles.

The investigation has drawn significant attention as it unfolds, with accusations of corruption and organized crime casting a shadow over the administration of one of Türkiye’s most prominent cities. The legal proceedings are expected to continue in the coming days as more details emerge.

By Vafa Guliyeva