ANKARA – Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor filed a sweeping indictment against the city's jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu , holding him responsible for 142 alleged criminal offenses related to corruption and organized crime and demanding lengthy prison terms, Turkish media reports said.

Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure widely seen as a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , was arrested in March along with several municipal officials who were accused of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion and bid-rigging. He has strongly denied all allegations.

Recommended Videos

Critics view the accusations as a politically motivated effort to weaken the main opposition. His arrest triggered the largest wave of public demonstrations in Turkey in over a decade

See Full Page