Turkey: Imamoglu Faces Up to 8 Years and 9 Months in Prison – Prosecution Alleges Fraudulent Degree and Forgery

Following a complex judicial investigation primarily based on testimonies from secret informants, the prosecution’s indictment was made public today (04.07.2025) regarding the alleged forged diploma of Ekrem Imamoglu, obtained 31 years ago. In March, Imamoglu was suspended from his duties as Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and was sent to Silivri prison, outside Istanbul, on March 19. Just two days ago, he completed 100 days in prison, which sparked a large protest rally outside the Istanbul City Hall. During the demonstration, Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition party, delivered a particularly harsh speech, calling the Turkish president the ‘leader of a junta.’ Imamoglu’s lengthy pre-trial detention had already triggered protests and fears that any potential sentence would effectively bar him from political life. The newly released indictment confirms these concerns. The text from the Istanbul Prosecutor states that ‘Ekrem Imamoglu obtained his degree fraudulently and participated in the crime of serial forgery.’ A prison sentence of up to 8 years and 9 months, along with a ban on political activity, has been requested. The indictment has been sent to the Court of First Instance Criminal Courts. In response, Imamoglu’s lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, who is also in custody, filed an appeal at the 5th Administrative Court requesting a stay of execution. Meanwhile, the dean of the Business School at Istanbul University, who previously stated there were ‘no irregularities’ regarding Imamoglu’s diploma, resigned due to ‘health issues.’ This case is expected to reignite feelings of injustice among Imamoglu’s supporters, while Turkish analysts predict that the judiciary may now target opposition leader Ozgur Ozel for alleged disrespect toward the Turkish president.