17.10.2026 14:40
Ekrem İmamoğlu completed his defense on the 4th day of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) trial with 436 defendants and rejected the accusations. Reading the words of Hazrat Ali at the hearing, İmamoğlu completed his defense by saying, "How well Hazrat Ali put it: 'If the oppressor insistently continues his oppression, know that his end is near. If the oppressed also insistently resists, know that victory is near.' I respectfully salute our noble nation and its dignity."
In the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) case with 436 defendants, 53 of whom are detained, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, İmamoğlu completed his defense.
At the hearing held by the Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court in the courtroom opposite the Marmara Closed Penal Institution, Ekrem İmamoğlu, making his defense, said, 'You can throw me into a dungeon, you can carry out every kind of attack on my family, but the person who will have power over my will was not born from his mother's womb. I represent my nation. Your pressures, your strategies developed overnight, your operations, your smears mean nothing to me; I treat you like a trash can. This nation will not forget the evils you have done. This nation has stood against the oppressor. I am here for my 87 million people. I am here. Today there are people here waiting for freedom. By which decision will they be held? Today we must stand up for Turkey, not our own party. Today what you need to take a side on is democracy, is the republic. We are the people to whom Mehmet Akif, who said 'Do not fear,' addressed himself.'
ADDRESSED THE YOUTH: MY GREATEST FAITH IS IN YOU
In continuation of his defense, İmamoğlu addressed the youth and said, 'Dear young people, this country is yours; do not wait for someone else to give you the future that belongs to you. You are my greatest faith. I do not speak of hope as a consolation. I believe in hope because I believe in the people of this nation. This case goes far beyond an effort to erase me from the political scene. It is to condemn this people, whose rights have been violated, to helplessness. This mentality will tomorrow destroy even the people it uses. We will all watch together what kind of decision comes out of this courtroom. There is no guilty person in this courtroom; there is politics, there is the ballot box. We are not afraid, we do not give up, with our foreheads clear and our heads held high, we do not retreat a single millimeter. No power, no authority can have the final say for this country. The nation will have the final say. Sovereignty belongs unconditionally and without restriction to the nation. Justice will win, democracy will win. I salute our noble nation with respect.'
HE READ THE WORDS OF HAZRAT ALI
İmamoğlu completed his defense at the hearing by reading the words of Hazrat Ali and saying, 'How beautifully Hazrat Ali said: If the oppressor insistently continues oppression, know that his end is near. If the oppressed also insistently resists, know that victory is near. I salute our noble nation and its dignity with respect.'
CROSS-EXAMINATION TO BE CONDUCTED
The hearing was adjourned for lunch after İmamoğlu's defense. After the break, Ekrem İmamoğlu will be cross-examined. The court is expected to issue an interim decision today.
IMPRISONMENT SOUGHT FROM 828 YEARS TO 2,352 YEARS
The corruption investigation conducted against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from his post as Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and detained, was completed and a 3,809-page indictment was prepared on November 11, 2025. In the indictment, Ekrem İmamoğlu, named as the organization leader, is alleged to have committed the crimes of establishing an organization to commit a crime, bribery, laundering criminal proceeds, fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations, recording personal data, obtaining and disseminating personal data, concealing criminal evidence, preventing communication, damaging public property, accepting bribes, publicly disseminating misleading information to the public, extortion, laundering assets derived from crime, rigging a tender, intentionally polluting the environment, violating the Tax Procedure Law, violating the Forest Law, and violating the Mining Law. İmamoğlu is sought to be punished with imprisonment from 828 years and 2 months to 2,352 years for 142 acts.