Imamoglu: They set up an investigation production factory against me

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu blasted Turkish authorities of setting up an investigation production factory against him.

“They are working hard. I also see that they have started a mass production. We can't keep up with their speed,” Imamoglu said during an opening ceremony held on Sunday, Diken reported.

“We are facing a competition that constantly changes the rules of the game. An understanding that will not hesitate to do all kinds of evil in order to win. We have a competitor who is ready to commit all kinds of unlawfulness. We are doing our best by saying 150 projects in 150 days, but our competitor is acting with the target of 150 investigations in 150 days,” he said.

Last month, an Istanbul court has sentenced Imamoglu to 2 years, 7 months and 15 days in prison on charges of insulting the members of a top election board. The court also banned him from politics, a decision which needs to be finalized by the supreme court in order to be implemented.

Eight days after Imamoglu’s conviction, Turkish interior ministry handed a report to the prosecution, claiming that hundreds of "terrorists" have been recruited by Istanbul's municipal administration in the last couple of years.

Istanbul's metropolitan municipality will once again fall under the control of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) if Imamoglu is removed from the post by the interior ministry, like dozens of Kurdish mayors were earlier removed over spurious terrorism allegations.