Erdogan’s Chief Rival Under Investigation After Criticizing Prosecutor

Erdogan’s Chief Rival Under Investigation After Criticizing Prosecutor

Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan’s Chief Rival Under Investigation After Criticizing Prosecutor

(Bloomberg) -- Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has accused Imamoglu of making “threatening” statements against Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek and his family, according to the state-run Anadolu agency. Gurlek previously served as deputy justice minister in Erdogan’s government.

Imamoglu denied the allegation, stating in a post on X that his words were not intended as a threat.

This marks the latest in a series of investigations targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s largest opposition group and Imamoglu’s political base. The Istanbul mayor emerged as a prominent rival to Erdogan after defeating the president’s party in 2019 and again last year. He secured his second term in March, following a closely contested vote.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Tunc Aydin defended the investigation, stating that remarks threatening judicial officials “can’t be accepted.” The probe was launched just hours after Imamoglu accused Gurlek of briefly detaining a fellow politician as an act of intimidation.

Imamoglu said on Monday, "You issue a detention warrant for Cem Aydin. You raid his house. Your aim is to intimidate. Attorney General, I am telling you, we will remove the mind that governs you from the minds of this nation to save even your children from these treatments."

The Turkish government has increasingly targeted opposition-held municipalities following significant losses in key cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Recently, municipal bank accounts have been frozen due to social security debts, hindering local governments’ operations.

Imamoglu is also facing a separate case for allegedly insulting members of Turkey’s election authority. In the 2019 election, his victory was initially annulled, forcing a re-run. The high-profile opposition figure faces a political ban if a prison sentence of two years and seven months is upheld by higher appeals courts.

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