Accused of 'political espionage', Istanbul Prosecutor's Office seeks up to 20 years in prison for former mayor

The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office has requested prison sentences of 15 to 20 years for four people, including former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu , as part of an investigation into the criminal offense of "political espionage."

According to Turkish media, the alleged acts were committed between 2019–2025 and include, in addition to İmamoğlu, Huseyin Gün, Necati Özkan and Merdan Yantadağ.

The case is part of a wider investigation into İmamoğlu, who is also accused of “establishing a criminal organization for profit,” which also includes espionage charges. The indictment has been forwarded to the Istanbul 25th Criminal Court for review.

According to the prosecution, the indictment consists of around 160 pages and describes an international digital network that allegedly used the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality database for political espionage activities and for manipulating electoral processes.

The investigation alleges that İmamoğlu's campaign team had ties to a businessman who allegedly collaborated with British intelligence services to collect and distribute personal voter data and election information through municipal apps. The aim, according to the indictment, was to secure international support for his presidential candidacy.

Ekrem İmamoğlu has been in prison since March 2025 on other charges, including “corruption” and insulting a prosecutor. He has denied all charges, claiming they are politically motivated.

The trial of him and three other defendants on a total of 142 charges, including political espionage, is scheduled to take place on March 9, 2026. The prosecution has requested high prison sentences for each of the defendants.

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