İmamoğlu’s future uncertain as detention hits third day

ISTANBUL

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu enters his third day in custody on March 21, with his political future shrouded in doubt.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office launched two probes targeting 106 individuals, detaining 87, including İmamoğlu, over allegations of organized crime and terrorism.

Charges against them are severe, spanning managing a criminal syndicate, bribery, extortion, tender rigging, fraud, illegal data collection, and aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist group.

Detained at 6:30 a.m. on March 19, İmamoğlu faces a four-day custody period, with a court appearance required by 6:30 a.m. on March 23.

The investigations pinpoint Medya A.Ş., an İBB affiliate, as the hub of alleged criminal activity led by İmamoğlu and key associates.

Prosecutors name Murat Ongun, Tuncay Yılmaz, Fatih Keleş, and Ertan Yıldız as senior figures in this supposed profit-driven syndicate.

They allege 95 others joined the group, forming a network accused of exploiting municipal resources for personal and organizational gain.

Among the accusations, bribery stands out—suspects reportedly demanded payments from businesses across Istanbul.

When owners refused, municipal council decisions were allegedly used to force compliance, extracting funds under pressure.

Profits from these schemes, prosecutors claim, were hidden in properties registered to businessmen serving as financial fronts.

Extortion took another form too, with businessmen allegedly coerced into illegal donations under the guise of fundraising.

Funds were laundered, authorities say, through shell transactions handled by civilian “secret cashiers” to mask the trail.

Tender rigging adds to the list, with irregularities reported in contracts for open-air advertising and services at İBB subsidiaries.

Suspects are accused of securing inflated deals via companies set up in their names or those of insured employees.

Many projects were left incomplete, while others were outright fictitious, backed by fake invoices, according to the prosecution.

The illicit earnings reportedly fueled personal wealth and sustained the group’s broader operations, deepening the scandal.

Beyond finances, the group allegedly harvested personal data from Istanbul residents, using it unlawfully to maintain their activities.

Most striking is the claim of terrorism links—supporting the PKK/KCK by hiring sympathizers through the “Urban Consensus” initiative.

This accusation ties the case to broader national security concerns.

As İmamoğlu nears the end of his detention period, four outcomes loom over his fate and Istanbul’s leadership.

He could be released on March 23, returning to his mayoral duties with the city’s support behind him.

Alternatively, the Interior Ministry might suspend him over the terrorism charges and appoint a trustee.

An arrest for aiding a terrorist group could see a trustee take over, mirroring the precedent set in Esenyurt and some other municipalities.

Or, if convicted of running a crime syndicate, the İBB Assembly would elect a new mayor, as happened in Beşiktaş.

On March 20, Nuri Aslan, the member of the Istanbul Municipality Council from CHP, has been appointed as the acting mayor of Istanbul following İmamoğlu’s detention.

Each scenario carries distinct implications, leaving Istanbul’s governance hanging in the balance.

The uncertainty grips the city as the deadline approaches, with only one day left to determine İmamoğlu’s next step.

His detention sparked debates and protests around the country, with some seeing it as a targeted move against a key government critic.

Whatever the court decides, the outcome will resonate far beyond Istanbul, shaping perceptions of justice and power.

All eyes now turn to March 23, when clarity may finally emerge on İmamoğlu’s uncertain path forward.