Turkish prosecutor seeks 2,000 years for jailed opposition mayor of Istanbul

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By Jonathan Spicer and Ece Toksabay

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -A Turkish prosecutor demanded on Tuesday a prison sentence of more than 2,000 years for Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed opposition mayor of Istanbul, for allegedly leading a vast corruption network that cost the state billions of lira, according to an indictment seen by Reuters.

Imamoglu, who is President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, has previously denied all the accusations against him, saying they are politically motivated, and his party on Tuesday rejected the latest charges as “nonsense”.

In a separate move that also deepened an unprecedented year-long legal crackdown on Erdogan’s critics, the Istanbul prosecutor asked a higher court to consider shutting down Imamoglu’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek announced the indictment at a press conference, saying it names 402 suspects, including the mayor, and accuses them of forming a criminal organisation, bribery, fraud and bid-rigging.

Gurlek said the network caused 160 billion lira ($3.8 billion) in losses to the Turkish state over a 10-year period.

The more than 4,000-page indictment includes an organisation chart that portrays Imamoglu as the founder and head of the criminal group.

It cites findings by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), expert analyses, and digital and video evidence, and alleges that several businesspeople were coerced into paying bribes through a secret fund operating within the municipality.

Reuters could not independently verify the allegations beyond the contents of the indictment.

OPPOSITION SAYS LATEST ALLEGATIONS ALSO POLITICALLY DRIVEN

Ozgur Celik, the CHP’s Istanbul head, said on X that the indictment was “nonsense” and “shameful”, adding that it was aimed at wrecking Imamoglu’s hopes to become Turkey’s president.

The Istanbul municipality and Imamoglu’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In its notification to the Court of Cassation requesting that it consider closing the CHP, the prosecutor’s office alleged that the party was financed through illicit funds and that its transactions constituted “prohibited acts”.

Imamoglu has been in jail since March pending trial on corruption charges and received a separate prison sentence in July for insulting and threatening the city’s chief prosecutor, a verdict he is appealing.

The government denies the assertion by Imamoglu and the CHP that the case against him is politically driven and says that Turkey’s courts are independent.

Wolfango Piccoli, co-president at consultancy Teneo, said the indictment could have “far-reaching political and institutional implications”, including the possible appointment of a government trustee to run the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

“Such a move would effectively transfer control of Turkey’s largest and most economically significant city to the central government, depriving the opposition of its most important political patronage tool,” he said.

He added that the development could further polarise Turkey’s political environment, heighten concerns about judicial independence and reinforce opposition claims of state-led interference in the democratic process.

(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Ece ToksabayEditing by Gareth Jones)