A large-scale political and judicial scandal has erupted in Turkey: the prosecutor is demanding a record sentence – more than 2,000 years in prison – for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is accused of creating a criminal organization and large-scale corruption. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
According to Reuters, the indictment states that İmamoğlu allegedly led a network that caused 160 billion lira (approximately $3.8 billion) in damages to the Turkish state over ten years. The document, more than 4,000 pages long, describes the structure of the group, which, according to the prosecution, operated within the Istanbul municipality.
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Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek stated that 402 suspects are involved in the case, including İmamoğlu, as well as a number of entrepreneurs who were allegedly forced to pay bribes through a secret fund.
The mayor is accused of bribery, fraud, conspiracy in tenders, and creating a criminal organization. İmamoğlu himself, the main political opponent of President Tayyip Erdoğan, denies all charges, calling them politically motivated.
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The Mayor of Istanbul has been in custody since March of this year. In July, he received a separate prison sentence for insulting the city prosecutor, but appealed this decision.
The Turkish government rejects the opposition's claims of political pressure and emphasizes that the country's judicial system "remains independent."
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