Turkish prosecutors have filed a nearly 4,000-page indictment against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, seeking a staggering prison sentence of over 2,000 years. The charges, revealed in court documents on Tuesday, include allegations of running a criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, extortion, and tender rigging. Imamoglu, a prominent opposition leader from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested on March 19 and is described in the indictment as manipulating a widespread criminal network ‘like an octopus.’ The CHP has accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of targeting Imamoglu following the opposition’s success in the 2024 local elections. Since his arrest, several other CHP mayors, officials, and politicians have also been detained, sparking widespread protests and accusations of politically motivated actions. Authorities have responded by detaining nearly 2,000 people, most of whom were later released. In a separate case last month, a court in Ankara dismissed a corruption case against CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, calling it ‘moot.’ Ozel reaffirmed that Imamoglu remains the party’s candidate for the next presidential election, denouncing the charges as baseless and politically driven. ‘His only crime is running for the presidency of this country!’ Ozel declared in a passionate address to parliament.