Justice minister backs indictment against İmamoğlu

ANKARA

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç has criticized those who describe the indictment against the Istanbul Municipality and Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu as “baseless,” once again rejecting claims that the investigation is politically motivated.

“As the justice minister, you cannot tell me, ‘Intervene in the investigation into the Istanbul Municipality, stop it.’ We have no such authority. No office or authority can issue instructions or orders to the judiciary,” Tunç said late on Dec. 9, during his ministry’s budget discussions in parliament.

“Do not downplay the matter; do not say ‘the indictment is empty,’” he added.

İmamoğlu was arrested in March over corruption allegations at the municipality, with prosecutors finalizing the indictment last month.

The charges brought against him carry a potential sentence of up to 2,430 years in prison, with 142 counts of alleged wrongdoing filed against the mayor.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has criticized the indictment as lacking substantive evidence, arguing that it is the product of a politically motivated operation.

“There is a 4,000-page indictment before us. It is necessary to examine it thoroughly. It is not possible for us to declare in advance who is guilty or innocent — it is the courts that will decide this,” Tunç said.