Media: Over 80 people arrested in Istanbul corruption case Including Mayor of Istanbul

In connection with a corruption case involving the Istanbul Municipality in Türkiye, 100 individuals have been brought under criminal investigation, with 88 of them arrested. 

Moreover, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul is among those detained, Caliber.Az reports, referencing Haber Global.

The investigation has led to the issuance of arrest warrants for 10 other suspects, with 7 individuals currently believed to be abroad. In addition to the corruption case, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office has also pressed charges against İmamoğlu and seven others for allegedly supporting the PKK, a Kurdish separatist terrorist organisation.

Four of the seven suspects have already been arrested, including İmamoğlu, while the remaining individuals are being sought by authorities.

The ongoing legal actions reflect a broader crackdown on corruption within the municipality, as well as addressing national security concerns linked to alleged terrorist affiliations.

To recall, protests broke out across Türkiye for the second consecutive night after the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is facing charges related to corruption and terrorism in a separate investigation.

On March 20, demonstrators gathered outside Istanbul’s City Hall, where clashes occurred between protesters and police as they attempted to approach the city’s heavily guarded Taksim Square, a site of significant unrest in 2013. In Ankara, the capital, law enforcement deployed water cannons to disperse crowds at the Middle East Technical University. Smaller protests were also reported in Izmir on the Aegean coast and in Adana in southern Türkiye.

İmamoğlu was detained during a pre-dawn raid on March 19, just days before he was set to announce his candidacy for the 2028 presidential election as an opposition figure. Alongside Imamoglu, dozens of prominent individuals were detained, including journalists, business leaders, and municipal officials from Istanbul.

A member of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), İmamoğlu is viewed as one of the leading challengers to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming presidential race.

By Aghakazim Guliyev