Istanbul mayor charged with corruption as Turkish opposition weighs Erdogan challenger
The latest move against Ekrem Imamoglu comes as Turkey’s opposition weighs which candidate would stand the best chance against Erdogan.
Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is facing prosecution over alleged corruption, Turkey's judiciary announced Wednesday, the latest in a series of legal cases aimed at removing him from power, according to opposition officials.
The Turkish ministry of interior has investigated complaints that while he was mayor of Istanbul’s Beylikduzu district from 2014-2019, Imamoglu awarded a public tender to an unqualified company. The case is due to be heard on June 15. Prosecutors are seeking a maximum seven-year prison term for Imamoglu and six co-workers on charges of graft. They also want him banned from politics on the same charges.
