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Istanbul’s mayor goes on trial with some 400 defendants in corruption case

Ekrem Imamoglu faces 142 charges with prosecutors seeking over 2,000 years in prison as critics say the trial aims to weaken the opposition before Turkey's next elections.

  • On March 9, Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul mayor , goes on trial at the Silivri prison complex as chief suspect among more than 400 defendants tied to the Istanbul municipality.
  • Human Rights Watch's Benjamin Ward argued prosecutors seem to be targeting Imamoglu and the CHP, while Gurlek said he acted without bias, according to Friday reports.
  • A January court ruling rejected Imamoglu's lawsuit challenging his university degree, affecting his eligibility, while he has been held at Silivri for almost a year as prosecutors seek prison sentences totaling hundreds of years.
  • The trial could derail Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul mayor's presidential ambitions as he seeks to challenge Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, while overshadowing politics ahead of elections expected next year.
  • Rights groups and foreign observers warn the prosecutions hurt Turkey's democratic standing, while Akin Gurlek, Justice Minister and former prosecutor, faces impartiality questions critics raise.
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Center

Turkey began a massive trial on Monday against former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and 400 others, accused of running a criminal organization that controlled the Turkish metropolis. Read more...

·Barcelona, Spain
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Lean Right

The trial of the former mayor of Istanbul began today. He has been charged with more than 140 offenses and faces a prison sentence of over 2,000 years.

·Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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The former Istanbul mayor and opponent of President Erdoğan are threatened with more than 2000 years of imprisonment. After a battle at the beginning of the trial, the judge has the room cleared in the meantime.

·Munich, Germany
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Right

Nearly a year after his arrest, the main trial against former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu began on Monday – and was adjourned shortly afterward. The opposition figure and opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces over 2,000 years in prison: He is accused of, among other things, founding and leading a criminal organization, as well as bribery and money laundering. Human rights activists and critics consider the trial politically …

·Vienna, Austria
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In the trial against former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the prosecution is demanding more than 2000 years in prison.

·Zürich, Switzerland
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Tr724 broke the news in on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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