Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu faces new investigation amidst corruption trial

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been in custody for over a year, is facing a new investigation initiated by the prosecutor's office following comments he made during a hearing at the Silivri prison court. Imamoglu, who denies all corruption charges, is currently being tried alongside 107 other defendants in a case where he is the primary accused. The authorities allege he operated a large-scale criminal network, while the mayor has characterized the indictment itself as a criminal organization. He faces a potential sentence of up to 2,430 years for the charge of insulting a public official. Imamoglu was arrested on March 19, 2025, on the same day the Republican People's Party (CHP) designated him as their candidate for the upcoming presidential elections. First elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024, he is considered a leading opposition figure against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His trial, which began on March 9, remains ongoing as these new legal developments emerge.