18.02.2026 15:56
The date of the first hearing in the "political espionage" investigation against Ekrem İmamoğlu has been determined. The indictment prepared against the former Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his position and arrested, along with Necati Özkan, Hüseyin Gün, and Merdan Yanardağ, has been accepted by the court. The first hearing will take place on May 11.
The investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau was completed on February 4. A prison sentence of 15 to 20 years is requested for the suspects on charges of "political espionage." The first hearing of the case will be held on May 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Silivri.
ALL CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED
In the file referred to as the "espionage indictment" in the public eye, some contacts, information sharing, and international connections made by İmamoğlu during his term of office have been investigated.
The indictment includes allegations that data obtained within the scope of certain projects carried out by the municipality were shared with third parties. It was claimed that these shares could be "sensitive in terms of state security." The prosecution added some official correspondence, meeting records, and witness statements as evidence to the file.
ALLEGATIONS DENIED
The İmamoğlu side denied the allegations, arguing that the claims are of a political nature. In a statement, it was noted that the mentioned contacts took place within the scope of municipal activities and international collaborations, and that there was no transfer of any confidential information.
According to legal experts, with the acceptance of the indictment, the trial phase has officially begun. After the evaluation of evidence and the defense statements of the parties during the court process, the decision phase will be entered.