The bodyguards of Ekrem Imamoğlu, the suspended mayor of Istanbul, disabled security cameras ahead of a meeting with several suspects at a hotel in Istanbul, according to new footage as part of an ongoing corruption investigation targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB).
The footage, released as part of the probe, reportedly shows Imamoğlu’s security detail arriving at the hotel before his meeting with suspects Tuncay Yılmaz, Ertan Yıldız, Adem Soytekin, Fatih Keleş, and Hüseyin Köksal, and turning off the cameras in the designated meeting area.
The investigation, led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, involves a range of serious allegations against Imamoğlu and others, including “establishing and leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “aggravated fraud,” “misuse of personal data,” “bid rigging,” and “abuse of office.”
Imamoğlu was suspended from his role as mayor following his arrest in connection with the case. The probe is ongoing.
He was detained on March 19 and formally arrested on March 23. Between those dates and afterward, riots broke out across Türkiye as the mayor’s party sought to mobilize crowds to protest it.
Along with Imamoğlu, the court in Istanbul ordered the arrest of his close aide, Murat Ongun, who served as head of a media company of the IBB, and Tuncay Yılmaz, director of the Imamoğlu family's construction company. So far, 48 suspects detained earlier this week have been formally arrested. Several others, including businesspeople and a singer, were released with judicial control, with the court ordering them to report to authorities regularly and with bans in place regarding traveling abroad.
While the opposition criticizes the arrest as politically motivated, the government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.
