Trial of Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's chief rival, begins in Turkey on corruption charges
The former Istanbul mayor faced his first hearing Monday alongside hundreds of defendants accused of corruption. The trial could affect Turkey's 2028 presidential race.
March 9, 2026 at 08:03 PM
The trial of Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and top political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, began Monday with a confrontation between the defendant and the presiding judge.
Imamoglu, who leads the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), clashed with the head judge of the three-judge panel minutes after the first hearing opened. When Imamoglu attempted to speak out of turn, telling the judge "I want to speak," the head judge threatened to remove him from the courtroom if he continued. Imamoglu then criticized the trial before returning to his seat in the dock.
The trial involves a total of 400 defendants, according to authorities. Of these, 105 are being held in pretrial detention, seven remain at large, and the remainder have been released pending trial. Nearly all defendants are described as officials or employees.
Imamoglu was arrested nearly a year ago. Prosecutors have accused him of leading what they characterize as a vast criminal operation, with charges centered on corruption and bribery. The case has become highly polarized in Turkey. One segment of the country views the prosecution as a targeted operation designed to remove a young, rising political figure from contention—one who recaptured Istanbul for the opposition after 25 years and posed a threat to Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The other segment describes the case as the "corruption of the century."
The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for Turkey's political landscape. Imamoglu is widely regarded as the opposition's strongest potential challenger to Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election. A conviction could potentially eliminate him from that race before campaigning formally begins.
Imamoglu, as former mayor of Istanbul, had rebuilt the opposition's presence in the country's largest city after a 25-year absence of opposition control. His popularity within the CHP and his electoral success in Istanbul had positioned him as a leading figure within the party and a potential presidential candidate.