According to reports, Imamoglu is considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival. He has been held in a pre-trial detention center since March on corruption charges.
The city prosecutor's office has indicted not only the mayor but also 401 other individuals in the criminal case. They are presented as members of a corruption network allegedly "founded and managed" by Imamoglu.
According to Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, the suspects formed a large criminal organization involved in bribery, tender rigging, and money laundering. The damage to the state is estimated at 160 billion liras (approximately 3.8 billion dollars).
Imamoglu intended to run in the 2028 presidential elections. He faces 12 counts of bribery, 7 counts of money laundering, and 7 counts of fraud against a state institution.
According to a report from the "Anadolu" agency, the charges carry a total prison sentence of up to 2430 years. His arrest in March caused protest demonstrations in Istanbul.
Prosecutors are also accusing Imamoglu of espionage and falsifying his diploma. Istanbul University invalidated his diploma, which cast doubt on his eligibility to run for president.
Imamoglu has called these accusations political pressure and stated that "the judiciary has been turned into a political tool in the hands of the government."
