19.03.2025 12:00
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) President Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained this morning during an operation at his home. The detention order issued for more than 100 individuals is related to corruption allegations referred to as "urban consensus" and "money counting footage in the CHP."
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that detention orders have been issued for more than 100 individuals, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, on various charges. The detention orders were issued in connection with corruption allegations referred to as "city consensus" and "money counting footage in the CHP."
THE FOOTAGE HAD CAUSED A SCANDAL
Days before last year's local elections, one of the closest associates of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Fatih Keleş, the President of the İBB Sports Club, was caught on camera packaging suitcases full of cash. In the footage, millions of lira stacked in bales were being sorted, labeled by the people around, and placed into black travel suitcases. While the matter was taken to court, the trial process regarding the 'money counting' footage recorded at the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency began with the hearing of 22 defendants. While the process continues, an operation was carried out against the İBB today.
WHAT ARE THEY ACCUSED OF?
According to the statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, İmamoğlu was detained as part of two separate investigations conducted by both the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau and the Organized Crimes Investigation Bureau. The suspects, including İmamoğlu, are accused of "criminal organization, extortion, bribery, fraud, and rigging tenders." In the written statement made by the prosecutor's office, İmamoğlu was described as a "suspect of being the leader of a criminal organization."
LIST OF NAMES WITH DETENTION ORDERS
The names for whom detention orders have been issued as part of the investigation are as follows: Ekrem İmamoğlu, Murat Ongun, Murat Çalık, Tuncay Yılmaz, Fatih Keleş, Emrah Bağdatlı, Mustafa Nihat Sütlaş, Murat Kapki, Orçun Muhittin Yılmaz, Hüseyin Köksal, Adem Soytekin, Ali Nuhoğlu, Ertan Yıldız, Ali Gül, Zafer Gül, Serdal Taşkın, Barış Kılıç, Servet Yıldırım, Mehmet Erdoğan, Güldem Işık, Ceyda Kıryak, Kadir Öztürk, Ömür Yılmaz, Merthan Açıl, Tolga Özgen, Erhan Uslu, Hakan Atınç Dayıgil, Murat Kanbur, Emre Serkan Bayraktar, Vahit Doğan, Fatoş Ayık, Hüseyin Ekrem Fidan, Seda Hoşel Kiraz, Sergen Kurt, Yusuf Yüce, Ercan Saatçi, Mehmet Muhittin Palazoğlu, Furkan Remzi Ceylan, Süleyman Atik, Hakan Karanis, Elif Güven, Nihat Uçan, Birsen Şahin, Canan Mümüklü, Can Akın Çağlar, Cemal Ufuk Karakaya, Buğra Gökçe, Kağan Sürmegöz, Bayram Taşkın, Ebru Yılmazlar, Gürkan Akgün, Murat Abbas, Doğan Hamit Doğruer, Halit Burak Atalan, Bilal Önver, İlker Durademir, İpek Elif Atayman, İlknur Taşdelen, Burak Arslan, Samih Asan, Emrah Öksüz, Onur Buğra Subaşı, Eyüp Subaşı, Gülşah Subaşı, Ahmet Köksal, Serhat Kapki, Yusuf İlbak, Ali İlbak, Murat İlbak, Mustafa İlbak, Umut Şenol, Mete Sarısaltun, Edip Cenk Ünalerzen, İrfan Karakaş, İnan Boztaş, Ahmet Taha Bilgin, Kamil Timur Delibaş, Alihan Aydın, Alper Aydın, Alperen Aydın, Ahmet Palazoğlu, Kaan Ketenci, Ahmet Hamdi Çiçek, Hacı Ahmet Gül, Serkan Öztürk, Necati Özkan, Kabil Taşçı, Vedat Şahin, Serdar Haydanlı, Yaşar Çeri, Emin Ferhat Ertek, Harun Cengiz Beğenmez, Hasan Öçsoy, Ahmet Çiçek, Adem Tuncay, Rauf Cem Istıranca, Ömer Gürsoy, Uğurhan Atma, Özge Bağdatlı, Fatoş Pınar Türker.
4-DAY BAN IN ISTANBUL
The Istanbul Governorship announced that all kinds of meetings, demonstrations, and press statements are banned throughout the city for a period of 4 days. In the written statement made by the governorship, it was stated, "In order to maintain public order and prevent any provocative actions that may occur, all kinds of meetings, demonstrations, and press statements have been banned for a period of 4 days from March 19 to March 23."