The imprisoned mayor of Istanbul faces new charges of espionage and affiliation with a criminal organization

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office announced the opening of a new investigation against the city's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is currently in prison, on charges related to espionage and connection to a criminal organization.

The prosecutor's statement clarified that the investigation focuses on alleged communications between İmamoğlu and foreign intelligence entities, in addition to the "strategic nature" of his electoral campaign, considering that some of his activities may fall under espionage for foreign countries.

The statement indicated that investigation teams analyzed digital materials seized during raids, which were found to contain images of passports belonging to individuals allegedly connected to İmamoğlu and foreign citizens, as well as the use of encrypted applications for information exchange.

In the same case, it was announced that Merdan Yanardaş, the editor-in-chief of TELE1, was arrested after a search of his home and workplace, where he was also charged with espionage, as part of a joint investigation between the Turkish National Intelligence Agency and the Istanbul Police.

The prosecutor's office revealed suspicions related to the illegal leakage of private data of users of the "Istanbul Senin" and "İBB Hanım" applications abroad, noting that approximately 3.7 million users have been affected by the breach, and that voter data and ballot boxes were passed on to foreign entities.

According to the authorities, 15 individuals suspected of involvement in the data leak through the mobile application "İstanbul Senin" have been arrested so far, while investigations continue to identify the remaining perpetrators.

These developments come amid a wave of international criticism, as the German Foreign Ministry previously called for a fair trial for İmamoğlu, considering that his arrest raises "questions about the independence of the Turkish judiciary."