Istanbul mayor’s press secretary among those facing arrest in Türkiye

Arrest warrants have been issued for several individuals, including Press Secretary of Türkiye’s Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Chairman of Medya Inc. Murat Ongun.

The court has also ordered the arrest of Tuncay Yilmaz, CEO of Imamoglu Insaat Company linked to the mayor’s office, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

The charges against the suspects are still under investigation, and judicial proceedings are ongoing. Meanwhile, a group of suspects, including Ahmet Palazoglu, Alihan Aydın, Ercan Saatci, Alperen Aydin, Bayram Taskin, Canan Munuklu, Cemal Ufuk Karakaya, Birsen Sahin, and Vahit Dogan, have been released under judicial supervision. However, these individuals face travel restrictions, as they are prohibited from leaving the country while the investigation continues.

Hearings for the remaining suspects are still underway.

Imamoglu, who has become one of the most influential figures in Turkish politics, is facing accusations related to leadership and membership in a criminal organisation. The charges against him include bribery, fraud, illegal acquisition of personal data, and manipulation of public tenders. 

These allegations have raised serious concerns about the integrity of local governance in Istanbul, as well as the potential involvement of public officials in illicit activities. In a separate investigation, Imamoglu is also facing accusations of providing support to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group designated as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye. Along with Imamoglu, Şişli district head Resul Emrah Şahan, Istanbul's deputy secretary general Mahir Polat, and Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, the director of the Reform Institute, are implicated in this investigation. 

The charges have sparked intense political debate, particularly concerning the mayor's relationship with the PKK and the alleged links between political figures and terrorist organisations. The arrest of Mayor İmamoğlu has led to widespread protests across Türkiye. 

On the night of March 21, demonstrators defied protest bans and rallied in cities nationwide, expressing their outrage at his detention. In Istanbul, hundreds of thousands gathered outside City Hall, while large crowds also assembled in other major cities, including the capital Ankara and the Aegean city of Izmir. 

By Naila Huseynova