ISTANBUL (Medyascope) – One of the most consequential legal proceedings in modern Turkish history has commenced today, Monday, 9 March, at the Silivri Prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. A total of 402 defendants, including 105 detainees, are set to stand trial in what has become widely known as the “İBB Case.” The proceedings centre on the Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and his administration, who face a litany of charges that critics argue are entirely politically motivated.
By Fırat Fıstık . Medyascope
The investigation into Mr İmamoğlu —Turkey’s main opposition party CHP’s Istanbul mayor and its Presidential candidate— and 105 others—the majority of whom are senior city officials—began in November 2024. A preliminary probe led to the first wave of detentions on 19 March last year. Since then, authorities have carried out at least seven further raids, resulting in the arrest of several high-profile figures, including the Mayor of Şişli District of Istanbul, Resul Emrah Şahan, and the Mayor of Beylikdüzü District, Murat Çalık.
The first hearings at Silivri are expected to last between 35 and 40 days. While the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) plans a massive show of solidarity outside the prison gates, Mr İmamoğlu is expected to deliver a lengthy, high-profile defence. This statement will reportedly address the specific legal charges while simultaneously challenging the broader political context in which the case has arisen.
Prosecution argues ‘organised criminal activity’
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to 2,400 years for Mr İmamoğlu. The indictment describes his administration as a “for-profit criminal organisation,” with prosecutors alleging that these activities began a decade ago while he was serving as the mayor of the Istanbul district of Beylikdüzü.
In a move that has drawn sharp criticism for “criminalising” standard political activity, the prosecution presents Mr İmamoğlu’s preparations for a potential presidential run as evidence of criminal activity. The 3,900-page indictment includes photographs of the CHP convention, where the current Party Chair Özgür Özel was elected, framing the internal party transition as part of a wider conspiracy. Furthermore, the document hints at the possibility of further operations by naming several other municipalities that have not yet been raided.
According to the prosecution’s proposed hierarchy, Mr İmamoğlu acted as the “leader” of the group, supported by six “executives.” The indictment identifies these individuals as Fatih Keleş, president of the İBB Sports Club; Murat Ongun, a former municipal spokesperson and media adviser; businessmen Adem Soytekin and Murat Gülibrahimoğlu; İmamoğlu adviser Ertan Yıldız; and businessman Hüseyin Gün.
The case file lists 143 separate allegations, including charges of forming a criminal organisation, bribery, bid-rigging, and money laundering. However, the prosecution’s reliance on anonymous witnesses has remained one of the most disputed aspects of the case. The defence notes that the indictment relies heavily on testimony rather than material evidence, pointing out that phrases such as “I heard” appear 564 times and “as far as I remember” 969 times. It further states that nearly 700 lines in the testimonies convey only second-hand information.
Political motivations have also been a lynchpin in the opposition’s condemnation. In a speech delivered earlier last year, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the probe as targeting “the arms of an octopus.” This specific phrase later appeared in the indictment, which critics say points to the possible influence of the executive branch over the judiciary.
Prosecutors also cite “Historical Traffic Search” (HTS) records—cellphone location data—as evidence of coordination between suspects. They argue that several Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) officials were in the same locations, thus indicating criminal collaboration. The defence counters that the location data merely points to the nature of working within the same municipal administration, adding that even Mr İmamoğlu’s private secretary, Kadriye Kasapoğlu, faces charges based partly on these records.
Selective scrutiny and financial allegations
Some of the allegations centre on advertising tenders carried out by Medya A.Ş., a media and billboard company, which is a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Municipality. Prosecutors claim that billboard advertising contracts were selectively awarded to a small number of companies, causing losses to public funds. They further argue that additional payments were collected under fees for the unauthorised use of public property, suggesting impropriety.
Investigators also cite the use of the “21/B” procurement method as evidence of wrongdoing. This provision allows public authorities to bypass open tender procedures in urgent cases. Members of the CHP, however, say the same method was and is widely used by municipalities and ministries run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), prior to its loss of the Istanbul local elections.
Another criticism raised by opposition figures is that the investigation focuses only on contracts awarded after 2019, when Mr İmamoğlu won the mayoralty. The defence cites that many of the companies currently under investigation had previously received contracts during the earlier AKP-led municipal administration.
A large share of the alleged “financial loss to the public sector” relates to claims that excavation waste was illegally dumped at a mining site where prosecutors allege that the arrangement allowed funds to be transferred to Mr İmamoğlu through a company owned by businessman Murat Gülibrahimoğlu.
Donations and local government ‘routine’
The indictment also treats certain social aid payments and donations as alleged bribes. In the Şişli district, prosecutors claim a developer was fined after refusing to pay a bribe to the local government, which led to the arrest of Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan. The municipality has countered with official documents showing the fine was a standard penalty for building code violations. Similarly, prosecutors claim a pro-government businessman’s donation to a local nursery school was effectively treated as a “forced bribe,” or extortion. In a separate instance, Murat Çalık—who was previously cleared in another investigation—is now facing a retrial over a similar tender.
Journalists also under fire
A number of journalists are also among the hundreds named in the case. The indictment singles out figures including Ruşen Çakır, editor-in-chief of Medyascope, along with Yavuz Oğhan, Soner Yalçın, and Şaban Sevinç. Prosecutors rely in part on cellphone location data to implicate them, though no financial transactions or direct involvement in alleged wrongdoing are cited. Critics say the journalists are being targeted solely for their reporting and public commentary.
The case file also contains unusual allegations linked to security measures at Mr İmamoğlu’s meetings. This includes instances where cameras were taped over, and suitcases originally claimed to contain cash—which could suggest bribery—were later found to contain signal-jamming devices.
Turkey’s landmark trial begins for jailed Istanbul Mayor | Translated/edited by Medyascope English Newsroom
