11.06.2025 22:21
It has been learned that Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is in prison due to a corruption investigation, will not attend the "expert witness trial" hearing scheduled for tomorrow.
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Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been detained in Marmara Prison in Silivri for about 2.5 months as part of a corruption investigation, will face the first hearing of the case opened regarding the press conference titled "The Bigger Turnip" he held on January 27 tomorrow. The hearing, known to the public as the "expert witness case," will take place in the courtroom of Marmara Prison in Silivri.
IMAMOĞLU'S DECISION NOT TO ATTEND THE "EXPERT WITNESS CASE" HEARING
While İmamoğlu was expected to appear before the judge, a noteworthy development occurred. İmamoğlu and his lawyers decided not to attend the hearing.
FROM THE INDICTMENT
In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was noted that an investigation was initiated ex officio on the grounds that İmamoğlu publicly targeted one of the expert witnesses assigned to some investigations and public cases in order to influence the outcome in favor of the suspects during the press conference he held on January 27.
In the indictment, the expert witness S.B, whose statement was included, mentioned that his name was suddenly published in various media outlets and social media due to İmamoğlu's statements, and that he was subjected to a smear campaign.
S.B stated that he had never engaged in any unlawful acts and that he had served as an expert witness not only for the CHP but also in many cases related to other parties.
The indictment stated that İBB President İmamoğlu mentioned some investigations and prosecutions in which the expert witness was involved during his press conference, and it was evaluated that he aimed to create a public perception that the expert witness and judicial bodies were not independent and impartial, and that with the public pressure that would arise from this, he attempted to influence his official expert witness duties in various investigations and prosecutions being conducted in the Istanbul Courthouse and other courthouses, and that he attempted to influence the case file being heard in the 10th Criminal Court of First Instance in Büyükçekmece.
In the indictment, a prison sentence of 2 to 4 years was requested for İmamoğlu for the crime of "attempting to influence a judicial officer, an expert witness, or a witness."
Additionally, it was requested that the provision in Article 53, paragraph 1 of the Turkish Penal Code, which states, "a person who is convicted of a crime intentionally shall be deprived of the right to assume a permanent, temporary, or intermittent public duty as a legal consequence of the prison sentence; in this context, he/she shall be deprived of employment in all public offices and services subject to appointment or election by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or by institutions and organizations under the supervision and control of the state, province, municipality, village, or these," be applied against İmamoğlu.
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