08.07.2026 10:32
In the corruption case against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), 59 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, appear before the judge in the 17th week of the trial. İmamoğlu is expected to present his defense today.
In the 'Corruption' case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), 59 detained and non-detained defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from duty, will appear before the judge in the 17th week of the trial. During today's hearing, İmamoğlu is expected to make his defense.
İMAMOĞLU FACES A DEMAND FOR UP TO 2,352 YEARS IN PRISON
The 'Corruption' investigation against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested after being suspended from his position as Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, was completed, and a 3,809-page indictment was prepared on November 11, 2025. In the indictment, Ekrem İmamoğlu, referred to as the 'Organization leader,' is alleged to have committed the following crimes: 'Establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes,' 'Bribery,' 'Laundering of crime proceeds,' 'Fraud against public institutions and organizations,' 'Recording personal data,' 'Obtaining and disseminating personal data,' 'Concealing crime evidence,' 'Obstruction of communication,' 'Damage to public property,' 'Accepting bribery,' 'Publicly disseminating misleading information,' 'Extortion,' 'Laundering of assets from criminal activity,' 'Bid rigging,' 'Intentional environmental pollution,' 'Violation of the tax procedure law,' 'Violation of the forestry law,' and 'Violation of the mining law.' He faces a demand for punishment ranging from 828 years and 2 months to 2,352 years in prison for 142 actions.
51 DEFENDANTS HAVE BEEN RELEASED SINCE THE FIRST HEARING
In previous sessions, the court panel ordered the release of the following defendants: Kadriye Kasapoğlu, head of IBB's Private Secretariat; Sırrı Küçük, driver of Özgür Karabat; Fatih Yağcı, employee of Ağaç A.Ş.; businessman Ali Üner; businessman Evren Şirolu; businessman Ebubekir Akın; İSPER staff Davut Bildik; Altan Ertürk; Hüseyin Yurttaş; Kadir Öztürk, driver of Murat Ongun; Mustafa Bostancı; Sabri Caner Kırca, driver of Kadriye Kasapoğlu; Baran Gönül; Mahir Gün; Esra Huri Bulduk; Şehide Zehra Keleş Yüksel; Başak Tatlı; municipal police officer Nazan Başelli; data specialist at IBB İsmet Korkmaz; software coordinator at IBB Emrah Yüksel; computer engineer at IBB Mehmet Çağlar Kuru; IBB city planner Nuri Cem Ceylan; IBB social media consultant Ulaş Yılmaz; advertiser Yusuf Utku Şahin; İmamoğlu's bodyguard Çağlar Türkmen; businessman Adem Soytekin; Seyhan Özcan, head of Private Secretariat for Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney; advertiser Esma Bayrak; Murat Keleş, nephew of Fatih Keleş; IBB Director of Expropriation Fatih Özçelik; İsmail Akkaya, brother-in-law of İnan Güney, detained in the Beyoğlu case; businessman Harun Cengiz Beğenmez; businessman Mehmet Kaya; Iraz Bayrak; Orhan Gazi Erdoğan; Engin Ulusoy; Mustafa Keleş; Gökhan Köseoğlu; Seza Büyükçulha; Ahmet Şahin; Cevat Kaya; Hakan Aplak; former General Manager of Medya A.Ş. Elif İpek Atayman; advertiser Hasan Yalaz; Deputy General Manager of Kültür A.Ş. Erdinç Çolak; advertiser Alper Aydın; advertiser Yunus Göçer; businessman Ahmet Güllü; IBB Head of Neighborhood Affairs Yavuz Saltık; IBB Deputy Director of Public Relations Mustafa Karaoğlu; and Halit Burak Atalan, former Director of Tenders and Purchasing at IBB Kültür A.Ş.