11.03.2026 11:50
The third day of the İBB trial also started off tense. Tension rose when the detained defendants were prevented from waving to the audience as they were brought into the courtroom by the gendarmes. The defendants' lawyers requested that the detainees be allowed to greet their families, but the judge stated that the situation would be evaluated. The hearing continues with the defense of the detained defendant Bulut Aydöner.
The third day of the İBB case, which includes a total of 407 defendants, 107 of whom are detained and 5 are complainant defendants, continues in the 1st courtroom across from the Marmara Closed Penal Institution, as presided over by the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court.
Among the 107 detained defendants are Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his duties after his arrest, Şişli Mayor Emrah Resul Şahan, Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, former CHP Member of Parliament Aykut Erdoğdu, İBB Presidential Advisor and MEDYA AŞ Board Chairman Murat Ongun, İBB Sports Club President Fatih Keleş, İmamoğlu's brother-in-law Cevat Kaya, and İmamoğlu's lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan.
Some of the non-detained defendants and their lawyers, including Ekrem İmamoğlu's son Mehmet Selim İmamoğlu, his father Hasan İmamoğlu, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, and İBB Council Participation and Affiliated Institutions Commission Chairman Ertan Yıldız, also attended the hearing. Some detained defendants were brought in via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).
THE HEARING STARTED TENSE AGAIN
Detained defendant Yavuz Saltık faced intervention from the gendarmerie as he responded to the audience waving at him while being brought into the courtroom. The gendarmerie attempted to forcibly seat Saltık by holding his arm. While Saltık reacted to this, lawyers and audience members protested with applause. The defense lawyers requested the gendarmerie who intervened to be removed from the courtroom.
Cevat Kaya, the detained brother of Dilek İmamoğlu, reacted to the gendarmerie's obstruction, saying, "I have been paying taxes to this country for 40 years. Treat me like a human being."
The lawyers requested that the detainees be allowed to greet their families, and the judge stated that the incident would be evaluated.
İMAMOĞLU WAS BROUGHT INTO THE COURTROOM
As soon as Ekrem İmamoğlu's lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan was brought into the courtroom, the audience shouted, "Mehmet, you are the honor of the defense."
When Ekrem İmamoğlu entered the courtroom, all the detained defendants stood up. İmamoğlu waved to the section where the lawyers were, shook hands and hugged some of the detained defendants, while the audience cheered and chanted "President İmamoğlu."
DEFENSES HAVE STARTED
According to the list prepared by the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court panel, today, the first defense will be made by Bulut Aydöner, the brother of CHP PM Member Baki Aydöner and a businessman.
İMAMOĞLU FACES UP TO 2,000 YEARS IN PRISON
The indictment states that İmamoğlu is accused of "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, bribery (12 times), money laundering (7 times), and fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations (7 times)," along with a total of 143 actions subject to the indictment, with a request for a prison sentence ranging from 828 years to 2,352 years.
Of the defendants facing public prosecution, 99 are claimed to be "members of the organization" (1 is the suspect claimed to be the founder and leader of the organization, Ekrem İmamoğlu, 6 are suspects claimed to be organization managers: Fatih Keleş, Murat Ongun, Ertan Yıldız, Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, Adem Soytekin, and Hüseyin Gün, and 92 are claimed to be organization members), while the remaining are claimed to be in a position of "committing related crimes without being a member of the organization."
INTERIM DECISION MAY BE MADE AT THE END OF APRIL
The presiding judge stated on the second day of the hearing that the interim decision could be made towards the end of April. The hearings are planned to last a total of 45 days, four days a week, excluding weekends and Fridays.