Imamoglu trial day two: Court announces date for interim ruling

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ISTANBUL, TURKEY — During the second hearing of the mass trial involving 407 defendants, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the judicial panel announced that an interim decision regarding the detentions will be delivered in late April.

The proceedings, marred by restrictions on the defense and reliance on anonymous witness testimonies, come after Imamoglu was jailed in 2025 shortly following his announcement as the Republican People's Party (CHP) presidential candidate.

Tuesday's hearing at the Marmara Closed Prison campus in Silivri began tensely when lawyers initially refused to enter through a mandatory identity check. After a two-hour delay, defense attorneys were admitted to the courtroom, though their procedural motions were subsequently dismissed by the judge.

"I am facing three thousand years"

Following the reading of the indictment summary, Ekrem Imamoglu took the stand, arguing that the court's refusal to listen to his demands was a violation of his defense rights and contrary to the law.

"Telling me, 'I am not listening to you' here is not fitting for the supreme Turkish judiciary," Imamoglu stated in court. "I am distressed; I am facing three thousand years in prison. We are confronting an oppressive system built on this 'slander-ment.' I am the presidential candidate of the party that will take power in the first election, and I have been in isolation in a 12-square-meter cell for a year."

Schedule and proceedings

The presiding judge outlined that the hearings will continue until March 19, with each detained defendant and their respective lawyers scheduled to present their defense. The court's interim ruling, expected at the end of April, will reassess the defendants' detention status.

Due to limited courtroom capacity, attendance was restricted to a small number of journalists, and a maximum of three lawyers were permitted to speak per defendant. Priority for audience seating was given to immediate family members. Furthermore, all public gatherings and demonstrations around the prison complex have been banned for the duration of the trial.

Indictment details and background

Prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the 3,700-page indictment names over 400 individuals, 107 of whom are currently jailed. Prosecutors allege that Imamoglu is the "founder and leader of an organization established for corruption," seeking a prison sentence ranging from 849 to 2,430 years.

A highly controversial element of the case relies on statements from anonymous "secret witnesses" using codenames. While some defendants were released after utilizing effective remorse provisions, the opposition argues the trial is politically motivated and points out that several secret witnesses have reportedly withdrawn their testimonies.

Imamoglu has faced a series of legal battles since his election as Istanbul mayor in 2019, including the "fool case" regarding alleged insults to election officials and disputes over his university diploma. In October 2025, he was also ordered jailed under a separate "espionage" investigation, which resulted in bans on his social media accounts and the arrest of his lawyers and close associates.

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