Istanbul: The latest conviction of Istanbul's former mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, marks a critical escalation in Turkey's ongoing erosion of judicial independence and democratic norms. As one of the most prominent opposition figures in the country, Imamoglu's legal troubles highlight what rights groups call a pattern of political persecution ahead of the 2028 general elections.
According to Global Voices, an investigation was launched against Imamoglu on January 20 for allegedly threatening Istanbul's Chief Public Prosecutor Akin Grlek and his family. The charges relate to a comment Imamoglu made during a panel on law and politicization of the judiciary in Turkey.
On March 19, amid a crackdown framed around alleged corruption and terror links, Imamoglu was detained and then arrested just as he was poised to be nominated as the CHP's presidential candidate for the 2028 elections. Since then, a systematic campaign of arrests and investigations targeting the CHP and other civic actors has continued, putting both Turkey's democratic path and its rule of law under the spotlight.
On July 21, the CHP filed a complaint with the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) against Grlek and two other prosecutors involved in the investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB). The complaint suggested that some of the presiding judges' past rulings were political and not in keeping with the transparency of the judicial process. The CHP emphasized that the investigations into the charges against Imamoglu and other party members have become systematic, violating individual rights and freedoms and core principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law.
As of July 21, at least 16 mayors representing the CHP have been suspended from office due to alleged corruption charges. Reporting by Bianet indicates that the charges include establishing a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, and bid rigging. The charges mirror those used during the March crackdown that targeted the opposition in general, and the mayor of Istanbul in particular. Dozens of municipality staff have also been arrested or detained, most recently on July 18 and 21, facing allegations of bribery and manipulation of public tenders.
Meanwhile, the CHP faces a mutlak butlan (absolute nullity) lawsuit initiated by a party member reportedly aligned with its former chairman Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, who was replaced by Özgr Özel at the party's 38th Ordinary Congress in November 2023. The lawsuit alleges procedural violations and potential vote-buying during the congress, raising questions about the legitimacy of Özel's leadership.
Özel's legal team argues the case should be dismissed, citing the expiration of the filing deadline and the fact that party conventions fall under electoral board jurisdiction, not civil courts. Should the courts rule the 2023 congress legally void, it could trigger a leadership crisis, potentially paving the way for Kiliçdaroglu's return. Such a ruling would also nullify all decisions taken by the party's current leadership since the congress.
On June 19, all 81 provincial chairpersons of the CHP met in Ankara and issued a joint statement refusing to recognize any such court order. Supporters of Özel view the lawsuit as an act of political revenge aimed at regaining control of the party and ultimately purging internal rivals such as Imamoglu. Under Kiliçdaroglu's 13 years of leadership, the party lost every nationwide election, including the 2023 general election.
Imamoglu's sentencing, coupled with a broader crackdown on opposition mayors and civil society, reflects a trend in Turkey's democratic backsliding. As the country moves toward the 2028 elections, the judiciary appears increasingly instrumentalized, not just sidelining political rivals but also weakening the guardrails of accountability and dissent. Whether the opposition can regroup amid legal turmoil and internal fractures remains to be seen, but the stakes for Turkey's democratic future could not be higher.