Imamoglu in court: allegations of fraud and political future on the brink!

Imamoglu in court: allegations of fraud and political future on the brink!

Vienna, Österreich - Ekrem Imamoglu, the imprisoned and discontinued mayor of Istanbul, is now on trial in two legal proceedings. The procedures concern both fraud positions in relation to tenders during his tenure as district mayor in Beylikdüzü and allegations of the threat of a public prosecutor. In both cases, imamoglu threatens and a political ban on activity. These procedures are not connected to his arrest on March 19. According to vienna.at it is unclear how Imamoglu, which is currently in a prison in Silivri, can take part in the negotiations. The court hearings begin at 10:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m. local time.

Imamoglu, which was already banned in another procedure for insulting civil servants in 2022 - a judgment that is not yet final - will also be invited as a witness in a third trial of the opposition party CHP. This indicates that the political tensions in Turkey, especially under the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, continue to increase.

background of the political situation

The current legal dispute of Imamoglu stands against the background of a deep political crisis that shook Turkey after a corruption scandal in 2013. In one of the greatest corruption cases in Turkish history, 89 people from Erdogan's environment were arrested in one of the greatest corruption cases between 17 and 25 December 2013, including sons of ministers. In these investigations, large sums of money were found in shoe boxes and money counting machines, and discussions between Erdogan and his son Bilal about hiding money caused a sensation. The extensive grievances led to a profound change in the political landscape of the country, and Erdogan set decisive positions in the security apparatus.

After the scandal, the situation of freedom rights and the economic framework in Turkey deteriorated significantly. Like FR.DE reported, the press freedom index of Türkiye fell from place 158 in 2013 today. The corruption perception index also decreased dramatically during this time, from 53th to 115th to 115th. The situation is also worrying: the dollar price rose from $ 2.80 teaspoons to 35 teaspoons, and the inflation climbed from 6.97% to 47%.

The developments around Imamoglu illustrate the tense political conditions and the level of control that the government exerts on the judiciary and the political opposition. The future participation of imamoglu in political activities remains uncertain, while the situation in Turkey continues to be perceived as worrying, especially in the context of western political relationships.