Large Criminal Activity
Politics-related large‑scale criminal investigation in İstanbul
Turkish authorities have arrested İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and over 100 others on charges including forming a criminal organization, abuse of public office, and corruption, in a major ongoing cas
On March 19, 2026, İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested along with two district mayors and more than 100 municipal employees, council members, and businesspeople in a sweeping criminal investigation. Prosecutors accuse İmamoğlu of abusing his public office to establish a criminal organization, with others charged as members; supplementary counts include corruption, bribery, and fraud. The probe has triggered multiple waves of arrests, and in November 2025 the Istanbul prosecutor indicted 402 individuals, including the mayor, ahead of a trial set to begin in March 2026. The case is widely regarded as one of the largest high‑level criminal investigations in contemporary Turkish politics, drawing significant domestic and international attention.
- Status
- active
- Location
- İstanbul, Türkiye
- Date added
- 2026-03-23 01:40 UTC
- Last updated
- 2026-03-23 01:40 UTC
- Source
- Human Rights Watch
- Connected threats
- Not provided