The trial concerning the “Istanbul Municipal Administration” case begins today at the Silivri judicial complex, with hundreds of defendants, including the city’s former mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.

The proceedings concern one of the largest judicial cases in Turkey in recent decades.

A total of 402 defendants are on the bench, of whom 105 are in pre-trial detention, while the indictment spans approximately 3,700 pages.

The former mayor of Constantinople and opposition candidate for the country’s presidency, Ekrem Imamoglu, is accused of being the “founder and leader of the organization.”

He faces 142 charges and, according to the indictment, risks penalties totaling up to 2,352 years in prison.

The charges he faces
Turkish prosecutors attribute to Imamoglu a leadership role in a criminal organization allegedly operating within the municipal administration.

The charges include establishing a criminal organization, bribery, laundering proceeds from illegal activities, and fraud against a public institution. The indictment also lists offenses such as corruption in tenders, extortion, concealing evidence, illegal recording of personal data, and environmental violations.

Political controversy surrounding the case
The case has taken on a strong political dimension in Turkey.

Pro-government media refer to it as the “theft of the century” and claim the damage exceeds 160 billion Turkish lira.

In contrast, opposition-leaning media focus on the use of secret witnesses and trial restrictions, arguing that the proceedings aim to weaken a key political opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Imamoglu’s reaction
Shortly before the trial began, Ekrem Imamoglu publicly addressed the case.

In an article for the newspaper Gazete Pencere, he wrote: “Turkey is going through one of the most difficult tests for democracy in its history. The final act of the pre-written scenario, an attempt to bypass the will of the people through the judiciary, opens on Monday.”