Istanbul prosecutors detain 16 mayors, 414 defendants in 2025-2026 judicial year
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The 2025-2026 judicial year in Istanbul saw 16 elected mayors from the main opposition CHP party detained, alongside over 400 defendants in the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality trial. Investigations extended to journalists, politicians, and artists, drawing criticism that the judiciary was reshaping politics and society. Even as the judicial year ended on July 20, detentions continued.
The Mayoral Detentions
Starting with İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest on March 19, 2025, the operations spread to CHP-run district municipalities. After the latest detention of Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, 16 of the 26 CHP mayors elected in the March 31 local elections were jailed. Several municipalities saw trustee appointments or leadership changes through acting mayors or defections.
The İmamoğlu Trial
The indictment in the İBB case was completed on November 11, 2025, and accepted on November 25. The first hearing began on March 9, 2026, at Silivri courthouse. Initially 402 defendants (107 arrested), the caseload grew to 414 defendants (110 arrested) after file mergers. The trial lasted roughly four months; 53 remain imprisoned. The second hearing starts August 17.
Espionage Charges and Media Pressure
İmamoğlu and three others—campaign director Necati Özkan, journalist Merdan Yanardağ, and businessman Hüseyin Gün—face ‘political espionage’ charges for allegedly obtaining state secrets. During the investigation, a trustee was appointed to TELE1, the channel managed by Yanardağ, though a plan to sell it was later dropped. The court kept all four in detention and postponed the next hearing to September 29.
What's Next
The second hearing of the İBB trial is set for August 17, while the espionage case resumes on September 29. It remains unclear how the ongoing detentions and trustee appointments will affect political opposition ahead of future elections.
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Istanbul prosecutors detain 16 mayors, 414 defendants in 2025-2026 judicial year
