İmamoğlu removed from office after arrest over graft charges

ISTANBUL

A court has ruled to jail Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu pending trial on charges of corruption and graft, while denying the prosecution’s request for his arrest related to terror accusations.

As the court process played out, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) held a long-planned primary to elect İmamoğlu as its candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

Opening the ballot beyond its 1.7 million members to anyone who wanted to vote, they said in the end they had registered 15 million votes for Imamoglu. "Out of a total of 15 million votes, 13,211,000 (not-party members) are solidarity votes," they added.

The decision concerning İmamoğlu — a key figure in the CHP and a potential presidential contender — was rendered following a four-day detention period.

The long-anticipated ruling was formally announced on March 23, designating İmamoğlu’s arrest in connection with the graft investigation.

Hours later, however, the judge dismissed the prosecution’s request to arrest İmamoğlu on charges of aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization, granting his release in that particular case.

 “While strong suspicion of criminal activity exists, pre-trial arrest has already been decreed for financial offenses, rendering further incarceration on this matter unnecessary,” the court stated.

During the trial on March 23, İmamoğlu strongly rejected the accusation, telling the judges, “Every page they have written is nothing but garbage,” according to Halk TV.

İmamoğlu and other 47 arrested people were transferred to Marmara Prison in Istanbul’s Silivri district.

Meanwhile, İmamoğlu’s legal team declared their intent to appeal the detention ruling.

The prosecutors also announced intention to file an appeal against the court’s ruling in the terror probe.

İmamoğlu removed from office

Although a single arrest ruling is sufficient to imprison him, the dismissal decision about terrorism charges carries significant implications for the Istanbul Municipality’s mayor seat.

His arrest on corruption grounds prompted the government to announce his removal from office within hours.

Mayoral replacements are typically selected from within the municipal council — often from the same political party — through an internal vote.

As expected, no trustee has been appointed to Istanbul Municipality. Similarly, Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was arrested for corruption, has been removed from office without government trustee.

These two municipalities will hold internal elections in their municipal councils, likely electing another CHP member as mayor. The elections will take place on March 26, according to a statement from the Governor's Office.

Trustee appointed to Şişli Municipality

However, the situation is different for Şişli Municipality, where Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan was arrested for terrorism-related charges.

The Interior Ministry announced that a trustee has been appointed to this municipality.

In instances, where a mayor is arrested on terrorism-related charges, the government typically appoints a trustee to take over the municipality.

Over 50 people were arrested across the two separate investigations.

High-profile municipal figures, including Buğra Gökçe, Mahir Polat and Murat Ongun, were also arrested, along with prominent businessmen Ali İlbak and Ali Nuhoğlu. Many of the arrested officials held leadership roles in municipal subsidiaries focused on media and cultural affairs.

Meanwhile, some detainees were released under judicial control, including singer Ercan Saatçi, as well as several high-ranking municipal employees.

‘I won’t be bowed’

“I won’t be bowed,” the 53-year-old politician proclaimed in a message posted on X via his legal representatives.

“We shall erase this dark stain on our democracy,” İmamoğlu vowed, urging his supporters to remain steadfast and not succumb to despair.

During his March 22 interrogation, İmamoğlu called the charges “immoral and baseless.”

İmamoğlu stood accused of being a leader of a vast bribery network that purportedly dates back to his tenure as mayor of Beylikdüzü in 2014, later extending into municipal subsidiaries under his current administration.

During questioning, authorities presented him with a chart displaying photographs of 99 individuals allegedly involved in the bribery scheme, demanding that he identify those he knew and explain his connections. İmamoğlu strongly rejected all accusations.

Allegations also claimed that as part of the 2023 “urban consensus” electoral alliance between the CHP and the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), individuals linked to the PKK terrorist organization were appointed to municipal positions.

The prosecution asserted that such appointments could not have been approved without İmamoğlu’s involvement.

However, İmamoğlu strongly refuted the terrorism charges in his statement.

His deposition on terrorism allegations spanned five hours and amounted to an 18-page testimony. Investigators questioned him regarding his alleged ties to fugitive suspect Azad Barış, whom authorities believe to be linked to the organization.

“I do not recognize the credibility of secret witnesses, nor do I accept their testimonies. They are fabricated, conspiratorial and deceitful,” İmamoğlu declared.