26.12.2025 11:08
The application made to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) who has been suspended from duty, will be examined as a priority.
Imamoğlu's detained lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan stated through a post on X account that they have been informed of the decision that their application regarding Imamoğlu's detention will be examined as a priority.
In Pehlivan's post, he said, "The decision that our application to the European Court of Human Rights regarding our client Ekrem İmamoğlu's unjust detention will be examined as a priority has been officially communicated to us. This priority examination decision given by the ECHR is a rare decision that has been issued in applications made from Turkey until today."
UP TO 2,430 YEARS IN PRISON IS REQUESTED
IBB President Imamoğlu was arrested last March as part of a corruption investigation against the IBB. In the case that will start on March 9, 2026, at the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court, Imamoğlu is facing charges of "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," "recording personal data," "seizing and disseminating personal data," "concealing crime evidence," "obstructing communication," "damaging public property," "bribery," "publicly disseminating misleading information," "extortion," "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," "laundering assets derived from crime," "manipulating a tender," "deliberately polluting the environment," and "violating the Tax Procedure Law, Forest Law, and Mining Law," with a total prison sentence requested ranging from 849 years to 2,430 years and 6 months.