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Turkey: Harsh prison sentences sought against opposition mayors
The Istanbul prosecutor’s office has demanded severe prison sentences for seven opposition mayors accused of belonging to a criminal organization, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
All seven, arrested between January and July, are members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition force in Turkey, which has faced a wave of investigations and arrests over the past year.
The heaviest charge targets Riza Akpolat, the mayor of Istanbul’s Besiktas district, who faces up to 415 years in prison for alleged criminal organization membership, bid rigging, and illicit enrichment. The six other mayors, accused of corruption and accepting bribes, could each face up to 18 years in prison.
Additionally, more than 700 years of imprisonment are being sought for businessman Aziz Ihsan Aktas, alleged to have led the criminal network.
The trial date has not yet been announced.
Earlier this year, Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular CHP mayor of Istanbul and considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, was arrested for corruption, sparking mass protests across Turkey. Opposition supporters claim the government is using the judiciary to weaken the CHP after its sweeping victory in last year’s local elections.