The trial of detained Ekrem İmamoğlu began Monday at the Silivri Courthouse, involving nearly 400 other defendants in a major corruption case.

The case includes hundreds of current and former employees of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, with more than 106 individuals currently held in pretrial detention.

Prosecutors accuse the defendants of belonging to an organized criminal network involved in manipulating public tenders, accepting bribes, and extortion.

Opposition figures say the case targets one of the main political rivals of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.