A prosecutor in Constantinople today opened a new judicial investigation against the city’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu for attempting to influence the judiciary for criticizing judicial investigations in opposition-controlled municipalities, Turkish media reported.

News of the judicial probe broke minutes after Imamoglu, who is seen as a potential rival to Erdogan for the presidency, accused the Turkish government of using the judiciary as a political tool to put pressure on the opposition.

In a press conference, Imamoglu said that the same prosecutor has been appointed in several judicial investigations against him and other regional municipalities in Constantinople controlled by the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), to which Imamoglu belongs.

The government rejects accusations of political interference in judicial affairs and maintains that the judiciary is independent.

Imamoglu has already been convicted in 2022 of insulting public officials after he criticized a decision to cancel the first round of municipal elections held earlier in which he had defeated the ruling AKP candidate. He has appealed the decision, but if it is upheld by higher courts, he could be banned from participating in politics for five years.

Imamoglu was re-elected as mayor last year, when Erdogan’s AKP suffered its worst ever losses in municipal elections.