11.11.2025 23:53
The Chairman of the CHP, Özgür Özel, made a statement regarding the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and submitted to the court concerning the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. In his statement, Özel said, "We have paid a heavy price in the past, we are paying today, and we will continue to pay. But we will never give up believing in and trusting the people."
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The investigation into corruption against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has been completed. The prepared indictment has been submitted to the court.
REQUEST FOR PRISON SENTENCE UP TO 2352 YEARS
Among the suspects against whom a public case has been opened, 99 are members of the organization, 1 is the founder and leader of the organization, suspect Ekrem İmamoğlu, and 6 are organization executives, suspects Fatih Keleş, Murat Ongun, Ertan Yıldız, Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, Adem Soytekin, and Hüseyin Gün. The rest are included in the indictment as connected individuals, although they are not members of the organization. In the indictment, a prison sentence of 828 years to 2,352 years has been requested for Ekrem İmamoğlu.
FIRST REACTION FROM ÖZGÜR ÖZEL
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel also made the first statement regarding the indictment. Özel used the following expressions in a statement on his social media account:
"As is known, a civil coup took place in our country on March 19. This time, the coup plotters came not with tanks or boots, but with judicial robes.
A handful of people who came to power through elections but do not want to leave through elections have dragged Turkey into the darkness of a great political and economic crisis by imprisoning their feared opponents.
In the 237 days that have passed, we have witnessed every hour of a great injustice together with our esteemed nation. The indictment that has been issued today has once again declared the truth that everyone knows.
This case is not legal; it is entirely political. Its purpose is to stop the first party of the last elections, the Republican People's Party, and to obstruct the presidential candidate.
The coup plotters today have lost their minds to the extent of demanding the closure of the Republican People's Party, the founding party of Turkey, registered to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
By reminding the provisions of the Constitution regarding the closure of political parties, notifying the Supreme Court Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is proof that this is not an investigation against the IMM. What is happening today is a crime in the act of intervening in democratic politics and the results of the upcoming elections through the judiciary.
This is not an indictment; it is a memorandum of the coup plotters against politics. The reasons for the evils we experience are never "legal"; they are merely the political ambitions of one person.
Last time, on September 12, Kenan Evren attempted to close our party, and we reopened it together with our nation. Evren's place in the hearts of our people and the way he is recorded in our political history is clear.
We have paid a heavy price in the past, we are paying today, and we will continue to pay. But we will never give up believing in and trusting the nation. Atatürk's party is entrusted to our nation."
HERE ARE THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST İMAMOĞLU
All allegations against Ekrem İmamoğlu in the indictment are as follows:
Direct allegations:
- Establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime
- Bribery (12 times)
- Money laundering (7 times)
- Fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations (7 times)
Indirect allegations:
- Interfering with the tender (70 times)
- Receiving bribes (47 times)
- Extortion (9 times)
- Fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations (39 times)
- Money laundering of assets derived from crime (4 times)
- Recording personal data (2 times)
- Obtaining and disseminating personal data (2 times)
- Concealing evidence of a crime (3 times)
- Publicly disseminating misleading information
- Obstructing communication
- Damaging property allocated for public service belonging to public institutions and organizations
- Causing environmental pollution
- Violating tax procedure law
- Violating forest law
- Violating mining law
REQUEST FOR SEIZURE OF THE BUILDING
The prosecution also requested the seizure of the building located at 7752 Ada 2 Parcel in the Ayazağa neighborhood of Sarıyer, belonging to the CHP, stating that "it should be decided to confiscate the assets subject to the laundering process in accordance with Article 54 of the Turkish Penal Code."
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had issued an operation order on March 19, 2025, against hundreds of suspects, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, on charges of "corruption." As a result of the operation, Ekrem İmamoğlu and many other suspects were arrested and sent to prison on March 23. Following the first operation on March 19, new evidence obtained, confessions, and statements from secret witnesses led to 9 operations over an 8-month period, resulting in many arrests. On the 232nd day of Ekrem İmamoğlu's detention (November 10), the prosecution completed its investigation and announced its allegations regarding the charges.
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