Since March 19, 2025, İmamoğlu and several CHP-affiliated municipal officials have been targeted in a wave of operations. İmamoğlu was detained in the first operation and formally arrested on March 23. He has since been held in Marmara (Silivri) Prison.
Since taking office in 2019, İmamoğlu has been subjected to various judicial processes – some rooted in his political statements, others tied to his previous role as Beylikdüzü mayor or appointments within İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB).
İmamoğlu was sentenced to 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days in prison along with a ban from politics. In the other cases, prosecutors are seeking up to 18 years and 4 months of imprisonment and further political bans.
Criminal cases
“Fool” case – Alleged insult to YSK members
- Basis: İmamoğlu allegedly insulted Supreme Election Council (YSK) members by calling them “fools” after the 2019 local elections were annulled.
- Outcome: Sentenced to 2 years, 7 months, 15 days in prison and a political ban.
- Status: The sentence is under appeal and not yet final. If upheld, İmamoğlu will be banned from politics.
- Defense: He claimed the “fool” comment was directed at then-Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, not the YSK.
Expert witness case – Alleged judicial interference
- Basis: Remarks made at a press conference on Jan 27, 2025, criticizing an expert witness assigned to investigations into CHP-run municipalities.
- Charge: Attempting to influence a judicial expert (TCK 288).
- Requested sentence: 2 to 4 years in prison and a political ban.
- Proceedings: First hearing was on June 12, 2025, in Silivri. İmamoğlu and his lawyers did not attend, objecting to the venue change announced only 23 hours in advance.
- Next hearing: September 26, 2025
Akın Gürlek case
- Basis: İmamoğlu's comment that İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek was “acting like a politician, not a judge”.
- Charges: Insulting a public official (TCK 125/3a). Threat (TCK 106). Targeting anti-terror officials (TMK 6/1).
- Requested sentence: 2 years 8 months to 7 years 4 months, and a political ban.
- Next hearing: July 16, 2025.
Beylikdüzü mayoralty – Alleged tender fraud
- Basis: Allegations that a 2015 public park tender in Beylikdüzü was improperly awarded to an ineligible company.
- Charge: Tender rigging (TCK 235).
- Requested sentence: 3 to 7 years in prison.
- Proceedings: The case has been postponed 9 times. The prosecutor’s opinion is still pending.
- Next hearing: July 11, 2025.
- Defense: İmamoğlu has rejected the charges, calling them an effort to create political cases out of bureaucratic actions.
Investigations
“Aiding a terrorist organization (Urban Consensus)” investigation
- Basis: Claims that some employees hired by İBB or affiliated companies have ties to terrorist groups.
- Charge: Knowingly and willingly aiding the PKK/KCK
- Details: The Interior Ministry alleged that 557 İBB employees are linked to terrorist groups. The investigation has not yet resulted in formal charges.
- İmamoğlu’s response: All İBB hiring was conducted transparently and is subject to legal oversight.
“Organized crime and corruption” investigation
- Basis: A major corruption probe launched in early 2025, focusing on allegations of bribery and misconduct at İBB.
- Charges: Forming and leading a criminal organization. Manipulating tenders, extortion, aggravated fraud, and data breaches
- Developments: This is the only case in which İmamoğlu is currently in pretrial detention. Over 100 individuals are under investigation, including former İBB employees. Some reports allege that businesspeople were coerced into securing tenders through threats.
(HA/DT)
