Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu Arrested: What Are the Charges Against Him?

In a surprising move that portends further political escalation in Turkey, Istanbul's public prosecutor's office issued arrest warrants for more than 100 people, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, on charges of corruption, bid manipulation, and forming a criminal organization.

The arrests come days before the Republican People's Party (CHP) primary elections, where İmamoğlu was seen as the leading candidate to challenge Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming presidential election.

According to a statement from the prosecutor's office, İmamoğlu was arrested as part of two separate investigations conducted by the Bureau of Investigation into "terrorist" and "organized" crimes.

The charges against him included "organizing and leading a criminal group, extortion, bribery, fraud, and bid manipulation," in addition to allegations of providing indirect support to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey designates as a "terrorist organization," and recruiting members of the group.

repercussions

The arrest campaign did not target Ekrem İmamoğlu alone. Simultaneous raids across Istanbul also arrested a number of current and former officials from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, including the deputy secretary general of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the mayor of Şişli, his deputy, and the head of the Reform Institute, on charges of "aiding the Kurdistan Workers' Party."

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office reported that 84 people had been arrested, and proceedings were underway against 22 suspects.

Early this morning, Turkish security forces surrounded Imamoglu's home extensively, deploying dozens of police vehicles and hundreds of security personnel. A group of them arrested him and escorted him outside under strict security measures.

In his first comment, İmamoğlu posted a video on his X account, saying, "We are facing overwhelming tyranny, but we will not surrender. I surrender my authority to my nation and will continue to fight those who use this operation as a tool against me."

For his part, Ozgur Ozel, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), described the move as a "coup against democracy," and argued that the authorities were using the judiciary to exclude İmamoğlu from the political scene. He argued that it was a "clear attempt to prevent him from running for president and to keep the opposition from seriously competing in the upcoming elections."

Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş also rejected the measures, saying, "What is happening is unbecoming of a country that claims to uphold the rule of law."

Turkey, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks, restricted access to several social media platforms on Wednesday, including X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, while the Istanbul governor banned all gatherings or demonstrations in the province from today until March 23.

abuse of position

In a related development, Istanbul University announced on Tuesday the cancellation of Ekrem İmamoğlu's university degree. In a statement, the university explained that this decision came after reviewing the files of several students who had illegally been transferred to the English-language program at the College of Business Administration in 1990. Twenty-eight individuals, including İmamoğlu, lost their degrees as a result of this decision.

Imamoglu considered the decision "purely political," saying, "Thirty-one years after I obtained my degree, they are now revoking it under flimsy pretexts. The decision is not legal, but rather part of a systematic campaign targeting me."

The revocation of the degree is considered extremely significant, as Turkish law requires presidential candidates to have a university degree, meaning this move could prevent İmamoğlu from running in the upcoming elections.

The corruption investigations, which led to the arrest of İmamoğlu and several other officials from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, are based on two main issues that have sparked widespread controversy:

• The "Urban Harmony" project, launched by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to improve cooperation between municipalities and enhance transparency in urban development projects, is alleged by prosecutors to have been used as a front to secure dubious deals, with large contracts illegally awarded to companies allegedly close to officials from the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
• The "Cheap Cash Counting" scandal within the Republican People's Party (CHP) saw the spread of leaked photos and videos months ago, purportedly showing party officials counting large sums of cash inside party headquarters. The images sparked widespread anger, and İmamoğlu's opponents considered them evidence of his involvement in illegal financial transactions linked to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

In recent years, İmamoğlu has been the subject of several judicial investigations, with three new cases opened against him this year. He was sentenced to 31 months in prison and banned from political activities in 2022 for "insulting" members of the Supreme Electoral Board.

Scenarios

For his part, Turkish affairs researcher Ali Asmar argued that the extent of the charges against Imamoglu, both related to corruption and terrorism, suggests that the case will take a long time to resolve, whether by convicting him or dropping the charges.

Asmar added to Al Jazeera Net that these developments could lead to disagreements within the Republican People's Party (CHP) regarding its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, particularly given the emergence of two prominent figures within the party, Mansur Yavaş and Özgür Özel.

Regarding the possible scenarios following Imamoglu's arrest, Asmar suggested that these charges will impact his political future, potentially limiting his ability to play the role he previously held in the Turkish opposition. This will lead to increased attention on Mansur Yavaş, who was a strong competitor to Imamoğlu in the previous elections and enjoys widespread popularity, particularly among nationalists.

Asmar linked the timing of Imamoglu's arrest to the ongoing rapprochement between the nationalist and Kurdish movements, particularly in the context of talks about negotiations to disarm the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

He noted that İmamoğlu had previously faced charges but had not been arrested. This arrest came after the start of dialogue between the Nationalist Movement Party and the Equality and Democracy Party, raising questions about the possibility that he was a "victim" of this political rapprochement. He concluded by saying, "I don't think this is just a coincidence."

Political analyst Genc Saracoglu believes that the ongoing developments against Imamoglu did not come about by chance, but rather are part of a carefully considered political agenda targeting his future.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Saraçoğlu predicted that Turkey would witness the appointment of a government "trustee" to run the Istanbul Municipality if the investigations continue and the litigation process drags on. This could open the door to a new political crisis, exacerbating internal tension and polarization.

Source: Al Jazeera