The number of jailed main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) mayors in Turkey reached 31 as of June 25, according to data put together by Intellinews.

Official statistics covering the wide-scope operations are not available. (See statistics and lists compiled by this publication here).

The CHP itself does not provide statistics on the operations. It is questionable as to whether the party’s management is even aware of the latest numbers.

“Since 2025, around 20 CHP mayors and hundreds of municipal officials have been imprisoned,” Ozgur Ozel, the CHP leader who in May was by court order replaced with predecessor Kemal Kilicdaroglu, wrote on June 1 in an op-ed for Newsweek.

It is not feasible to track all developments as regards the operation mounted against the CHP since there are dozens of separate prosecutions and ongoing trials. Each day, more CHP members are detained, arrested, released or put on trial.

Real target Imamoglu

It was in October 2024 that the judicial operation targeted at the CHP began with the arrest of Esenyurt mayor Ahmet Ozer, who was accused of terrorism. In November 2025, he was released.

Ekrem Imamoglu, the deposed mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, has been in jail since March 19, 2025. He is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s chief political rival and a politician widely seen as having what it takes to topple Erdogan should he be at liberty to run for office.

As part of the move against the CHP, Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has taken over 27 municipalities that were held by the party.

When former Istanbul chief public prosecutor Akin Gurlek, who launched the CHP operation, was promoted to justice minister in February, the assault on the coherence of the opposition party was boosted.

Criminal case hearings, in which state prosecutors allege that Imamoglu is the leader of an “octopus-like” gang or organised criminals, are taking place at Istanbul's Silivri Prison.

On March 9, the first Imamoglu trial hearing was held. Court officials wrote in the trial papers that the target is to complete the trial within 4,600 days (13 years).

Ankara mayor Mansur Yavas, another CHP member, is, like Ozel, not in jail, though he is a subject of many investigations. Observers say he remains free of prison because he keeps a distance from any moves aimed at launching a presidential candidacy.