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

Ekrem Imamoglu and over 400 co-defendants face charges including graft and espionage with prosecutors seeking prison terms exceeding 2,000 years, amid claims of political motivation.

  • 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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125 Articles

Lean Left

The prosecution demands more than 2000 years for the Istanbul mayor. The accusation: corruption. The trial is considered politically motivated. On the first day of negotiations there is applause for him and other accused.

·Germany
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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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  • 44% of the sources are Center
44% Center

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