Turkish prosecutor seeks closure of CHP over alleged illegal funding

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
Today 21:13

Turkish prosecutors seek to shut down the main opposition party and demand a 2,000-year sentence for İmamoğlu over alleged illicit funding.

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Istanbul Mayor and Republican People's Party, or CHP, candidate Ekrem Imamoglu take photographs with supporters during a campaign rally in Istanbul, Turkey, March 21, 2024 (AP)

A document reviewed by Reuters revealed that prosecutors in Istanbul have requested the High Court of Appeals to initiate legal proceedings to shut down the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey’s main opposition party, accusing it of being funded by illegal sources.

This move follows the issuance of an expanded indictment on Tuesday against the Istanbul Municipality and its former mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, widely seen as the most prominent political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. İmamoğlu has been held in pre-trial detention since March.

Two weeks ago, a Turkish court acquitted Imamoglu in a corruption case related to his tenure as head of the Beylikdüzü district, according to a report by Cumhuriyet.

The case, launched in January 2023, accused Imamoglu and six others of manipulating a public tender during his time as Beylikdüzü mayor in 2015. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of three to seven years in prison. However, the court ruled that there was no evidence of a criminal offense.

Despite the acquittal, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on the same day launched a new investigation into Imamoglu and several officials on espionage charges, reportedly linked to events surrounding the 2019 mayoral elections.

Crackdown on CHP

The CHP has faced an unprecedented legal campaign over the past year, which it denounced as politically motivated. The Turkish government denies these claims.

One prosecutor demanded a prison sentence exceeding 2,000 years for İmamoğlu, accusing him and 401 others of involvement in an illicit profiteering network alleged to have caused damage to the state amounting to 160 billion Turkish lira (approximately $3.81 billion) over a ten-year period.

Both İmamoğlu and the CHP reject the charges, insisting the legal action is part of a politically driven effort to eliminate Erdoğan’s rivals.