Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, faces 142 corruption charges, potentially leading to a prison sentence of up to 2,352 years. He has been in custody since March, with accusations of leading a criminal organization involved in bribery and money laundering. Imamoglu and his party, CHP, deny the allegations, claiming they are politically motivated due to Erdogan's declining popularity. The case has sparked protests and raised concerns about the use of the judiciary as a political tool. Imamoglu, a candidate for the 2028 presidential elections, is also appealing previous convictions.