Up to 20 year-prison terms sought for İmamoğlu over espionage claims

ISTANBUL

Prosecutors in Istanbul have sought up to 20 years in prison and a political ban for Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on charges of political espionage, months after the mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was arrested in a separate corruption probe.

The indictment, finalized on Feb. 4, alleges that sensitive data belonging to the Istanbul Municipality, including residents’ personal information, was transferred to a database and made available to foreign intelligence services.

Prosecutors claimed that businessman Hüseyin Gün was in contact with İmamoğlu’s campaign director, Necati Özkan, and relayed analytical assessments obtained through these means to Özkan.

The prosecution also alleged that the 2019 local elections were manipulated “by shaping public perception” in favor of then-candidate İmamoğlu.

According to a report by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), prosecutors said that 85 million Turkish Liras were withdrawn from bank accounts belonging to Gün, who is described in the indictment as having no commercial activity.

In the 160-page indictment, prosecutors sought prison sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years, along with political bans, for İmamoğlu, his campaign director Özkan, journalist Merdan Yanardağ and Gün on charges of “political espionage.”

A significant portion of the indictment was based on digital materials, correspondence and testimony provided by Gün, who is seeking to benefit from effective remorse provisions. Messages obtained from Gün’s phone were presented as the main evidence of the alleged espionage activities.

The indictment accused Gün of maintaining contacts with senior figures in British, U.S. and Israeli intelligence services. In this case as well, the court issued a detention order for İmamoğlu.

İmamoğlu has been jailed pending trial since March 2025 on allegations of bribery and bid rigging, as part of a broader crackdown targeting CHP-run municipalities. Since last year, several CHP mayors have been arrested on corruption-related charges.

In the latest development, prosecutors launched a bribery investigation into the CHP-led Buca Municipality in the western province of İzmir, issuing detention orders for 28 suspects, including the municipality’s director of licensing and inspections. Authorities have so far detained 25 of the suspects.