17.03.2026 14:00
The İBB trial continued on its sixth day, while Nuri Aslan, the acting İBB President elected in place of the defendant Ekrem İmamoğlu, was not allowed into the courtroom. Aslan stated, "Istanbul is entrusted to me, but I cannot enter a public building in Istanbul. I do not find this acceptable, but our state will find a solution to this."
The İBB Case, involving 107 defendants, including the removed Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, continues on its sixth day in the second week. Security measures were significantly increased in the hearing, which was postponed to today due to the transfer of CHP High Disciplinary Board member and Istanbul MP Turan Taşkın Özer, who is also a lawyer, to the ordinary audience section where lawyers are present. Those without press cards were not allowed to enter the courtroom, while journalists with institutional cards followed the hearing from the television in the press room.
NURI ASLAN WAS NOT ALLOWED INTO THE HEARING
A limit was also imposed on the number of relatives of the detainees and MPs. It was observed that the gendarmerie took intense security measures, allowing very few people into the courtroom campus. The empty seats in the audience section, where some people have been following the hearing standing for days, also drew attention. IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan was also caught by this obstacle. When he first arrived in the morning, Aslan was not allowed into the campus where the courtroom is located, but later he was permitted to enter.
"ISTANBUL IS TRUSTED TO ME, BUT I CANNOT ENTER A PUBLIC BUILDING IN ISTANBUL"
Although Aslan was allowed into the campus, he was not allowed into the courtroom when he wanted to follow the case. Sharing his experiences with journalists in the courthouse corridor, Aslan said the following:
“We arrived at the entrance of Marmara Prison with the municipality's vehicle. They stopped our vehicle and said, ‘You cannot enter. Your name is not on the list.’ We said that we did not come as MPs or as a political party. We came as the Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Anyway, they allowed us in. We arrived in front of the building where this trial will take place. They did not let us in from there, saying, ‘Your name is not on the list.’ I said that I am performing a public duty. Therefore, I am the person carrying the trust of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality on behalf of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the elected mayor. If the Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality cannot enter a building where a trial is taking place, where can he go? Istanbul is entrusted to me, but I cannot enter the city where my trust is located. I am within the city limits, but I cannot enter a public building. I do not find this right, but our state will find a solution to this. The state will definitely ensure that the mayors it defines, the people who have been approved and elected, can work and serve freely in this country and provide the necessary contributions.”