Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel has escalated his critique of the Erdoğan administration, arguing that the judicial inquiry into Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is a politically motivated attempt to neutralise a formidable electoral rival. Özel contends that the investigation, conducted under the guise of anti-corruption efforts, reveals a deeper strategy of authoritarian control through legal manipulation.
During a press briefing at Istanbul’s city hall—where İmamoğlu has remained since his detention—Özel addressed both the public and the press. He described the recently leaked 121-page interrogation document as substantively hollow, reliant primarily on a single, unverified secret witness. “There is no concrete evidence—just vague accusations,” Özel stated. He further argued that such tactics compromise legal integrity and represent a dangerous precedent for democratic institutions.
According to Özel, many of the 106 individuals detained in connection with the investigation are minor functionaries, administrative staff, or relatives of business associates, many of whom were unaware of their inclusion in the probe. He warned that routine administrative procedures are being retroactively criminalised and used to construct a misleading narrative of corruption implicating İmamoğlu, despite the mayor’s lack of direct involvement in the contract processes under scrutiny.
Özel issued particularly severe criticism of the mainstream media, accusing several prominent outlets of abdicating their journalistic responsibility by failing to cover the mass public demonstrations that followed İmamoğlu’s detention.
“Ignoring the presence of one million citizens protesting in the streets is not impartiality—it is complicity,” he stated. Özel likened this media silence to the infamous avoidance tactics employed during the 2013 Gezi Park protests and called on consumers to boycott products associated with complicit media conglomerates.
Describing the current political climate as a “civil coup”, Özel accused the government of leveraging judicial mechanisms to dismantle electoral opposition. He argued that Erdoğan’s administration, having failed to defeat İmamoğlu in successive elections, has turned to the judiciary to undermine his credibility and eliminate his candidacy through spurious legal claims. “They couldn’t win through the ballot, so now they attempt it with a judge’s pen,” he stated.
He also highlighted inconsistencies within the investigation. One of the central figures identified by the secret witness as being involved in alleged fraudulent activities was reportedly released without charge. “If your key suspect walks free, what does that say about the integrity of your case?” Özel asked.
As the case develops, Özel announced the CHP’s intention to pursue all available legal and political avenues to resist what he characterises as Erdoğan’s increasing autocratic tendencies. He emphasised that this episode transcends individual political fortunes and touches on the broader struggle for democratic accountability in Turkey.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s detention on 19 March—on charges ranging from corruption to alleged ties with terrorism—has triggered widespread outrage. The prosecution’s case relies heavily on a 121-page interrogation file centred on statements from a secret witness rather than verifiable evidence. The investigation has led to the detention of over 100 individuals, many of whom are only marginally connected to the mayor or the questioned municipal contracts. In response, citizens across Turkey, particularly in Istanbul, have mobilised in protest. Estimates suggest that over millions of people participated in demonstrations, making it one of the largest civic mobilisations in recent years. Despite this scale, the mainstream media has largely neglected to cover the protests, drawing accusations of editorial bias and reinforcing concerns about the erosion of press freedom in Turkey.
