Jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu faces political espionage charge

Prosecutors accuse high-profile opposition figure of corruption in raising funds for presidential election campaign

Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been detained since March, was questioned for hours at a courthouse in Istanbul. AFP

Istanbul’s jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been charged with political espionage, the latest legal case lodged against the opposition figure, who is seen as a potential challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Authorities are investigating alleged connections between Mr Imamoglu’s campaign team and a businessman arrested in July on suspicion of working for British intelligence, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Mr Imamoglu was questioned for hours on Sunday at a courthouse in Istanbul, while supporters of his Republican People’s Party (CHP) rallied outside calling for his release. He denies the charges against him.

The mayor, who led his party to victory against Mr Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in local elections last year, has been detained since March owing to a corruption investigation. In July, he was sentenced for insulting and threatening Istanbul's chief prosecutor.

Mr Imamoglu is among dozens of CHP mayors to be removed from office in recent months, with the espionage investigation marking an escalation in a year-long legal crackdown on the party. Critics of the government say the move is damaging Turkey's democratic credentials and that courts have been politicised, an allegation that Ankara rejects.

The latest case against Mr Imamoglu claims he engaged in corruption to raise funds for a presidential campaign in which he would have challenged Mr Erdogan. It says he also engaged in espionage to secure international support, Anadolu reported.

Mr Imamoglu rejected the accusations, saying "such slander, lies and conspiracy wouldn't even cross the devil's mind" in a post on X. "We are facing shameful immorality that can't be described with words," he added.

Anadolu said an Istanbul court issued an arrest order overnight for Mr Imamoglu. It also issued warrants for two other people, including Merdan Yanardag, editor-in-chief of television news channel Tele1.

The channel, which is critical of the government, was seized by the state on Friday as part of the espionage investigation.