14.10.2026 11:30
On the 98th day of the İBB case, it was Ekrem İmamoğlu's turn for the defense. İmamoğlu, who has been detained for about 19 months and is held responsible for 143 different acts in the indictment, is expected to begin his defense today together with his lawyers, which is expected to last 4 days. Actor İlyas Salman and poet-writer Sunay Akın also came to the courtroom to watch the hearing.
In the IBB Trial, which has 436 defendants, 53 of whom are in detention, including presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, it was İmamoğlu's turn to make his defense. İmamoğlu, who has been in detention for about 19 months and is accused in the indictment of being responsible for 143 different acts, is expected to begin his defense today.
İmamoğlu, who will present his defense on the 98th day of the trial being held at the Marmara Closed Prison complex in Silivri, and his lawyers are expected to take 4 days to present their defense.
ILYAS SALMAN AND SUNAY AKIN ARE ALSO IN THE COURTROOM
Actor İlyas Salman and poet-writer Sunay Akın also came to the courtroom to watch İmamoğlu. New Party Chairman Özgür Özel and party members will also watch the trial. In the completely packed courtroom, a warning was issued that no slogans should be chanted and no video recording should be made during the defense.
IN PRISON SINCE MARCH 19, 2025
Turkey woke up on the morning of March 19, 2025, to the operation in which IBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was taken into custody. İmamoğlu was remanded in custody on March 23, 2025, by the court to which he was referred as part of the investigation launched over corruption allegations against the IBB. The Ministry of Interior announced the same day that İmamoğlu had been suspended from his post as a temporary measure.
The indictment was prepared on November 11, 2025, 8 months after Ekrem İmamoğlu was taken into custody. In the indictment, it was alleged that 99 of the suspects for whom a public prosecution was initiated were members of the organization, and that Ekrem İmamoğlu was the founder and ringleader of the organization.
The first hearing of the trial began on March 9, 2026, at the Marmara Closed Prison in Silivri. Due to the release decisions issued at the hearings and the accepted supplementary indictment, the number of detained defendants dropped to 53.
HIS JULY REMARKS HAD BEEN RECORDED IN THE MINUTES AS HIS RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
On the 64th day of the IBB Trial, held on July 8, 2026, an argument over the length of the defense took place between İmamoğlu and the presiding judge. After the argument, the remarks of İmamoğlu, who was removed from the courtroom—‘I am not exercising my right to remain silent. I will explain my requests and findings’—were recorded in the hearing minutes by the Presiding Judge as ‘He exercised his right to remain silent.’