On October 27, 2025, the political landscape of Turkey was shaken yet again as the Istanbul prosecutor’s office secured the arrest of suspended mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, along with political strategist Necati Ozkan and journalist Merdan Yanardag, on fresh charges of political espionage. According to Hürriyet and Ukrinform, these arrests are part of a sweeping investigation into alleged corruption, espionage, and the transfer of sensitive data in connection with Imamoglu’s campaign for the Turkish presidency.
The latest accusations add to a growing list of legal woes for Imamoglu, widely regarded as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s chief political rival and a leading figure in the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Prosecutors allege that Imamoglu’s organization engaged in corruption to raise funds for his presidential ambitions and conducted espionage to secure international support. The charges also claim that Imamoglu and his team sought advantages in the 2019 elections by accessing social networks and internal correspondence, including the city administration’s corporate accounts.
Imamoglu, Ozkan, and Yanardag have all denied the allegations. Imamoglu, in particular, has been vocal in his defense. As reported by the Associated Press, he dismissed the accusations as “nonsense,” stating on social media, “Even the claim that I burned down Rome would have been more credible than this nonsense.” He went further in a statement from prison, declaring, “Such slander, lies and conspiracy wouldn’t even cross the devil’s mind! We are facing shameful immorality that can’t be described with words.” These strong denials have resonated with his supporters, who view the charges as part of a broader campaign to stifle political dissent.
Imamoglu’s legal troubles are not new. He has been in pretrial detention since March 2025 on separate corruption charges, which he also denies, describing them as politically motivated. In July 2025, he was handed a fresh jail sentence for allegedly insulting and threatening the chief Istanbul prosecutor—a move that sparked further controversy and debate about the independence of Turkey’s judiciary. Some of Imamoglu’s educational credentials were also annulled as part of ongoing investigations into his tenure at city hall, according to Hürriyet.
The new espionage charges stem from an investigation launched in mid-October 2025, focusing on links between Imamoglu’s campaign and a businessman arrested in July for allegedly conducting intelligence activities on behalf of foreign governments. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that Imamoglu is suspected of transferring personal data of Istanbul residents, possibly through the municipality’s mobile applications, in a bid to secure international funding for his campaign.
These developments have not gone unnoticed by the public. On October 26, hundreds of Imamoglu’s supporters gathered outside Istanbul’s main courthouse as he was questioned by prosecutors, marking his first time leaving Marmara Prison in seven months. The scene was charged with emotion, with supporters holding posters and chanting slogans such as “CHP will succeed, Turkey will win.” The protests reflect the deep divisions in Turkish society over the government’s approach to opposition figures and the ongoing crackdown on dissent.
The government, for its part, maintains that the judiciary is independent and that the investigations are strictly focused on rooting out corruption. According to the Associated Press, officials have repeatedly rejected claims that the courts are politicized. However, critics—including many in the opposition and independent analysts—argue that the timing and nature of the charges suggest a concerted effort to weaken Erdogan’s rivals ahead of future elections.
Some analysts, as cited by Reuters, have warned that the latest arrest order could pave the way for Istanbul’s state-appointed governor to take control of the municipality, Europe’s largest city. GlobalSource Partners’ Atilla Yesilada noted that the interior ministry has the authority to sack Imamoglu and replace him with a trustee, a move that would have significant implications for local governance and democracy in Turkey.
The opposition Republican People’s Party has been under sustained legal pressure for over a year, with several CHP-run municipalities facing waves of arrests and investigations. Imamoglu’s arrest in March 2025 sparked nationwide protests, and the latest developments have only intensified concerns among his supporters and international observers about the state of democracy in the country. The legal crackdown on the CHP is seen by many as damaging to Turkey’s democratic credentials and as a warning to other potential challengers to the current administration.
The charges against Imamoglu are wide-ranging. Prosecutors allege that his organization engaged in graft to raise funds for his presidential campaign and in espionage to secure international support. They also accuse him of transferring personal data and leveraging access to city resources for political gain. The arrest order for Imamoglu and his associates, including journalist Merdan Yanardag—whose news channel Tele1 was seized by the state as part of the espionage accusations—marks a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to clamp down on opposition voices.
Despite the mounting legal challenges, Imamoglu and his party have shown resilience. On October 24 or 25, Imamoglu reiterated his innocence in a statement from prison, and in court on October 26, he again denied all charges. “We are facing shameful immorality that can’t be described with words,” he insisted, underscoring his determination to continue the fight against what he describes as politically motivated persecution.
Meanwhile, the opposition won a small respite when a separate court dismissed a bid to oust the CHP’s leader and annul its 2023 congress, as reported by Reuters. However, the broader trend remains one of increasing pressure on opposition figures and institutions.
As Turkey moves toward future elections, the fate of Imamoglu and the broader opposition remains uncertain. The ongoing investigations, arrests, and court rulings have cast a long shadow over the country’s political landscape. For now, Imamoglu remains in custody, steadfast in his denials, and at the center of a storm that could reshape Turkish politics for years to come.
