Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor has filed an indictment against the city's imprisoned mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, accusing him of 142 criminal offences spanning corruption and organised crime and demanding lengthy prison terms, Turkish media has said.
Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure widely seen as a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in March alongside several municipal officials.
They were accused of operating a criminal organisation, bribery, extortion, and bid-rigging – charges the mayor vehemently denies.
Critics widely interpret these accusations as a politically driven attempt to undermine the primary opposition, with his initial arrest sparking Turkey's most significant public demonstrations in more than a decade.
Chief Prosecutor Akın Gurlek said the indictment is 3,900 pages and names 402 suspects including Imamoglu as the chief suspect, private Haberturk television and other media reported.
Imamoglu was charged with organizing a criminal group, 12 counts of bribery, seven counts of money laundering and seven counts of fraud, according to Gurlek's office.
Additionally, he is held responsible for multiple crimes allegedly committed by others including bribery, fraud and tender-rigging.
A trial date is expected to be set once the court formally accepts the indictment. If convicted of all charges, he could be sentenced to 2,352 years in prison, Haberturk television reported.
The corruption case is one of several legal proceedings targeting Imamoglu.
Last month, prosecutors filed espionage charges against him related to an investigation of his political campaign and a businessman arrested in July for reportedly conducting intelligence activities on behalf of foreign governments.
Imamoglu is accused of transferring personal data of Istanbul residents to secure international funding for his campaign. He has dismissed the charges as “nonsense.”
Other ongoing legal cases include allegations of insulting members of the Supreme Election Council, threats and insults directed at Gurlek, the prosecutor, and accusations of diploma and document forgery.
Critics view the legal cases, along with cases against other mayors and officials from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, as part of a broader crackdown following a strong performance in last year’s local elections. Several municipalities run by the party have faced waves of arrests throughout the year.
The government rejects the accusations, insisting the judiciary is independent and the investigations are focused on corruption or other wrongdoing.