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A prosecutor has asked an Ankara court to convict nine defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from duties at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, on charges of tampering with a vote during the Republican People's Party (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress.

The indictment request, presented at the Ankara 26th Criminal Court of First Instance, alleges that material benefits and job promises were used to influence delegates in the election that brought Özgür Özel to the party leadership against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The hearing was adjourned to 11 November.

Sentencing demand and adjournment

The prosecutor asked that Baki Aydöner, Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erkan Aydın, Mehmet Kılınçarslan, Metin Güzelkaya, Nihat Yeşiltaş, Özgür Çelik, Rıza Akpolat and Serhat Can Eş be sentenced to between one and three years in prison on charges of tampering with a vote, and be barred from exercising certain rights under the Turkish Penal Code.

The request sought acquittals for defendants Cemil Tugay, Hüseyin Yaşar and Özgen Nama. After statements from the defense lawyers, the court adjourned the hearing to 11 November.

Key takeaways

• A prosecutor asked for prison terms of one to three years for nine defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, on charges of tampering with a vote at CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress.
• The opinion cites job promises to relatives of 24 delegates in seven districts and market shopping cards worth 1.5 million lira.
• Three other defendants, Cemil Tugay, Hüseyin Yaşar and Özgen Nama, face an acquittal request.
• The court adjourned the hearing to 11 November.