İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has accused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of using the judiciary to sideline him from politics, calling on the president to face him in a fair political contest rather than relying on legal maneuvers. His comments came in response to a newly drafted indictment that seeks to impose further legal restrictions on him.
“The cases in which a 25-year prison sentence is being sought against me bear the signature of the esteemed President, not anyone else. You cannot deceive anyone. I challenge him to the field, to the ballot box, like a true man. Let him act like someone from Kasımpaşa and stop playing tricks through the judiciary with Byzantine games. This nation admires those who are brave and honorable,” İmamoğlu declared on X.
The latest indictment against the opposition mayor seeks up to four years in prison and a political ban, stemming from his criticism of a court-appointed expert witness, whom he accused of bias.
A prominent figure in the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), İmamoğlu ended the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) 25-year control over İstanbul in the 2019 local elections. Since then, he has faced repeated legal challenges, widely seen as an attempt to weaken his political standing.
Legal Pressure Mounts on İstanbul Mayor
In a series of posts on X, İmamoğlu revealed that this marks the fifth time he has faced the prospect of a political ban, along with a cumulative prison sentence exceeding 25 years.
“The person trying to push me out of politics is clear—it is Mr. President,” wrote İmamoğlu, who is considered the most likely opposition candidate to challenge Erdoğan if he seeks another term. “I call on the president to be honest. This nation values bravery and integrity.”
However, Erdoğan has denied any involvement in the legal proceedings against İmamoğlu. When asked about the matter last Friday, the president told reporters, “I don’t care if a political ban is imposed on anyone.”
Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also rejected İmamoğlu’s accusations on Monday, calling attempts to link the legal actions to Erdoğan “a great slander” and “an effort to disrupt judicial proceedings.”
Indictment Linked to Court Expert Criticism
The latest case against İmamoğlu stems from a press conference he held in late January, during which he claimed that expert witness Satılmış Büyükcanayakın had been “cherry-picked” to draft biased reports against CHP mayors in İstanbul, influencing court decisions against them. His remarks came amid growing legal pressure on opposition politicians, which has led to the arrests and removals of several CHP mayors in recent months.
Shortly after the press conference, the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation, accusing İmamoğlu of “attempting to influence a judicial officer, expert, or witness” and “interfering with a fair trial.”
In addition to İmamoğlu, prosecutors have indicted five journalists from the pro-opposition Halk TV station—one of whom is currently in pretrial detention—on charges of broadcasting an interview with Büyükcanayakın without authorization and allegedly exposing his identity in a way that could make him a target and influence judicial proceedings.
Erdoğan’s Political Strategy: Favoring Mansur Yavaş Over İmamoğlu?
Political analysts suggest that Erdoğan views İmamoğlu as his strongest potential rival in the upcoming presidential election and is therefore seeking to weaken his candidacy through legal pressure. Meanwhile, Erdoğan is reportedly more open to facing Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, another CHP figure, as his main challenger.
Unlike İmamoğlu, Yavaş has weaker support among Kurdish voters, who are expected to play a decisive role in the election. Erdoğan’s strategy appears to be to ensure that Yavaş becomes the opposition’s main candidate, thereby limiting Kurdish support for the CHP. This move aligns with Erdoğan’s broader effort to attract Kurdish voters, especially in the aftermath of renewed discussions about resolving the long-standing conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Reports indicate that Erdoğan’s government is exploring a potential political settlement with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, which could reshape Kurdish political allegiances. If successful, this strategy could shift significant segments of the Kurdish vote away from the opposition, further complicating the opposition’s ability to mount a united challenge in the election.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Political Implications
This case is just one of several legal challenges İmamoğlu is currently fighting. In December 2022, he was sentenced to more than two years in prison and barred from politics for allegedly insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Election Board (YSK). If his conviction is upheld on appeal, he will face an official political ban, further complicating the opposition’s chances of mounting a strong challenge against Erdoğan’s rule.
The legal scrutiny surrounding İmamoğlu is widely seen as part of a broader effort to weaken the opposition ahead of upcoming elections. With İstanbul being Turkey’s most populous and economically significant city, the stakes remain high for both the government and the opposition as the battle over political power intensifies.
