In the latest episode of an ongoing crackdown on Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), an investigation has been launched into popular İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on accusations of targeting the city’s chief public prosecutor, who is overseeing the latest probes into the party’s prominent figures, Turkish Minute reported.
İmamoğlu, seen as the strongest political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is being investigated for allegedly targeting İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek with remarks against Gürlek and his family on Monday. The mayor is accused of “targeting public officials engaged in the fight against terrorism” and “threatening” the prosecutor, according to a statement from Gürlek’s office.
Gürlek, also a former judge and deputy justice minister, is notorious for convicting dissidents in politically motivated trials.
The investigation into İmamoğlu was launched shortly after he criticized the detention of CHP youth branches head Cem Aydın earlier on Monday. Aydın was taken by eight police officers from his home in İstanbul, which drew strong criticism from his party.
Aydın testified to prosecutors concerning the posting of a video on the CHP youth branches’ X account about Gürlek in which he is referred to a “mobile guillotine,” a term coined by CHP leader Özgür Özel. Aydın was released from detention later under judicial supervision.
İmamoğlu, who spoke at a panel discussion on the politicization of the judiciary on Monday, criticized Gürlek for acting on orders from the government to target his party in his detention of Aydın.
He said the prosecutor was aiming at intimidation by sending eight police officers to Aydın’s home to detain him.
Addressing Gürlek, İmamoğlu said his party was working to eradicate the ruling party mentality that controls him so that his children are not subjected to such treatment in the future.
“Look, Chief Prosecutor, I’m telling you, we will not be able to do anything for you since your mindset is rotten, but to save your children from such treatment, we will eliminate the mentality that governs you from the mind of this nation. Don’t forget this, we will do it so that no one will come to your children’s doorstep, either,” said İmamoğlu.
The mayor said that if Turkey fails to establish a robust and independent judicial system that is able to hold government officials to account, the country will struggle to address its economic, social and political challenges.
He said what matters is not his own future but that of the Turkish Republic.
Following the launch of the investigation into him, İmamoğlu said on X that he stands behind his remarks about Gürlek while denying that his speech included the slightest element of a “threat” against the prosecutor or his family.
“I stand by my word. I demand justice for everyone, always,” said İmamoğlu.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, also a member of the CHP, criticized the launch of the investigation into İmamoğlu as “unacceptable” from a legal perspective, accusing the prosecutor of having a personal bias.
Gürlek, who was appointed as İstanbul’s chief prosecutor last October, has been accused of using his judicial authority to pursue a crackdown on the CHP on orders from the government.
He has overseen several investigations into prominent CHP figures such as İstanbul’s Esenyurt district Mayor Ahmet Özer and Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat in addition to several others. Özer was arrested on terrorism-related charges in late October, while Akpolat was arrested last Friday as part of a bid-rigging investigation. Both mayors were removed from office in a move that attracted widespread criticism for violating the “people’s will” and being “politically motivated.”
CHP leader Özel is also being investigated by Gürlek in a probe launched in November for allegedly targeting the prosecutor.
He referred to Gürlek as “the executioner and mobile guillotine of the palace,” a reference to President Erdoğan, after a prison visit to Özer.
There are claims that Erdoğan wants to sideline İmamoğlu — the mostly likely candidate to challenge Erdoğan if he tries to seek another term as president — with such operations in CHP municipalities.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç stood behind Gürlek and his launch of an investigation into İmamoğlu, saying on X that no one should be upset by the “independent and impartial judiciary” taking action against individuals who have made “reckless” statements that exceed the limits of the law and constitute a crime against judicial members.
İmamoğlu’s trial
İmamoğlu, who was fed up with ongoing pressure on his party last week, called on the government to stop efforts to pressure his party if he was the actual target. He has been the defendant in a politically charged trial.
The mayor was sentenced to more than two years in prison and barred from politics in December 2022 for allegedly insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Election Board (YSK).
The 53-year-old ended the yearslong Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule in İstanbul when he defeated the AKP’s mayoral candidate twice in the local elections of 2019. He won a rerun election by a larger margin than in the first election, which was canceled due to supposed irregularities.
İmamoğlu was re-elected İstanbul mayor in the March 2024 local elections, again leaving the AKP candidate far behind.
In last year’s local elections, the CHP emerged as the leading party for the first time in 47 years, securing 37.7 percent of the vote, maintaining control of key cities and securing substantial gains in other regions, while the AKP came in second, garnering only 35.4 percent.
The CHP’s election victory led to widespread concerns that Erdoğan might resort to measures that would hinder the operations of the opposition municipalities or discredit them in the eyes of the public in retaliation for his party’s election loss.
Over the past months, CHP municipalities have also been hit by investigations on accusations of irregular spending and unpaid debts to the government.
