State-run Anadolu Agency⁠ reported that prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 30 suspects linked to alleged corruption involving municipal subsidiaries and public tenders. Twenty-nine suspects were detained, while one individual was reported to be abroad.

According to a statement cited by prosecutors, the investigation concerns the alleged “activities of a criminal organization established under the leadership of Ekrem Imamoglu.”Authorities accuse the suspects of manipulating public procurement processes through companies affiliated with the Istanbul municipality.

Imamoglu, who has been imprisoned for more than a year, is currently standing trial alongside 413 co-defendants. Prosecutors allege he directed a large criminal network operating within the municipality. If convicted on all charges, he could face cumulative prison sentences totaling 2,430 years under Turkish law.

The Istanbul mayor and his political allies deny the accusations and argue the investigation is politically motivated, accusing Erdogan’s government of attempting to sideline one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Imamoglu emerged as a major national challenger to Erdogan after securing repeated election victories in Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city and economic hub. Opposition parties have increasingly described the legal proceedings against him as part of broader pressure on dissenting political voices and municipal administrations controlled by the opposition.

The Turkish government has repeatedly denied accusations of political interference in the judiciary, maintaining that courts operate independently and investigations are conducted according to the law.