23.03.2025 03:20
The statement of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), who was detained on charges of terrorism and corruption, has concluded at the prosecutor's office. İmamoğlu has been referred to the Peace Criminal Court by the prosecutor's office with a request for his arrest in connection with two investigations. The prosecutor's office also requested the arrest of Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, and Reform Institute Director Mehmet Ali Çalışkan.
The Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was detained in terrorism and corruption investigations, was referred to the courthouse after four days of interrogation at the police station. İmamoğlu also responded to the allegations against him in front of the prosecutor's office.
REQUEST FOR İMAMOĞLU'S ARREST
The prosecutor's decision has been announced. The prosecutor's office referred İmamoğlu to the duty magistrate court with a request for his arrest in both the terrorism and corruption investigations.
ARRESTS ARE REQUESTED IN CONNECTION WITH TERRORISM AND CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS
In a statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated, "In the investigation numbered 2024/228233, suspect Ekrem İMAMOĞLU has been referred to the magistrate court with a request for arrest under articles TCK 220/1, 135, 252, 220/1 (establishing a criminal organization, rigging a tender, receiving bribes). Suspects Ekrem İmamoğlu, Resul Emrah Şahan, Mahir Polat, and Mehmet Ali Çalışkan have been referred to the duty magistrate court with a request for their arrest for the crime of aiding an armed terrorist organization."
İMAMOĞLU: THE INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON FAULTY DETECTIONS IN MASAK REPORTS
In his statement at the prosecutor's office, İmamoğlu said: "As a person who has been in custody for 4 days, the investigations being conducted are based on empty, fabricated questions that exceed moral boundaries, and the strongest basis for this has been linked to the statements of secret witnesses. The process has been filled with MASAK reports containing faulty detections, creating a dark stain in history. This process has tarnished Turkey's reputation.
"THE INVESTIGATION IS PROOF OF MALICIOUS INTENT"
The fabricated six cases created before my detention and the personal investigation aimed at closing the nurseries opened just one day before my detention, with a request for nearly 30 years of imprisonment, are proof of these individuals' malicious intentions.
"I WILL NOT BOW TO THIS JUDICIAL HARASSMENT"
I, as someone who has fought through legal means throughout democracy, never forgetting the principle of Atatürk's legacy, 'Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation,' which allows a child raised in Trabzon to become the Mayor of Istanbul, will not bow to this judicial harassment. My rights are well known by our nation throughout my life.
"THE SLANDERS WILL BOUNCE BACK TO THE WALLS OF OUR NATION"
Our nation tells every wrongdoer to their face, and I have expressed everywhere that I will defend my rights throughout my life. I echo my principle of 'I do not eat rights, nor do I let others eat mine' with the great wisdom of our nation and I call out to my people. With this principle, I express my belief that our nation will fight for this right at the highest level. These slanders will bounce back to the walls of our nation.
İMAMOĞLU: THE CITY CONSENSUS INVESTIGATION IS A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO DISGRACE
İmamoğlu responded to the allegations regarding the terrorism investigation at the prosecutor's office. In İmamoğlu's statement, he said, "The investigation process initiated about 7 months after the AK Party lost the elections in Istanbul and 26 districts has led to legal action against the mentioned council members for membership in a terrorist organization. I see this process as a deliberate attempt to discredit. Either the YSK has not performed its duty, or the ongoing investigations are not fair."
İmamoğlu was asked about his connections to organizations such as the People's Democracy Congress and KCK before the local elections, and allegations were made. İmamoğlu responded, "I do not know the names or statements of the terrorist organizations mentioned above, nor do I have any curiosity about them. As is known, before the 2024 local elections, the DEM party has nominated a candidate for Mayor of Istanbul. Nevertheless, the CHP has pursued an inclusive local election policy with the slogan of the Turkey Alliance in Istanbul and many of our provinces."
"ASK DEM PARTY ABOUT 'CITY CONSENSUS', NOT ME"
In response to the question of why the City Consensus was established, İmamoğlu said, "I have never mentioned the City Consensus. I said 'Istanbul Alliance' and 'Turkey Alliance.'" İmamoğlu stated that he has used these expressions countless times, adding, "The DEM Party had nominated Meral Danış Beştaş as a candidate for mayor in Istanbul. The DEM Party was among the candidates we competed against. The concept of City Consensus should not be directed at me but should be asked to the DEM Party executives, who are currently engaged in intense diplomacy with the government in Turkey's current political agenda."
"IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO KNOW ALL THE NAMES ON A 1500-PERSON CANDIDATE LIST"
İmamoğlu was also asked about the 18 names from the 'City Consensus' structure being nominated for provincial and district municipal council memberships. İmamoğlu pointed out that the candidates should have been identified by the Supreme Election Council, but this was not done, and he stated that it is impossible for him to know all the names on the 1500-person candidate list.
- Please explain your contact with 252 individuals connected to the terrorist organization and 118 individuals?
İmamoğlu: The mentioned phone numbers are two of those registered to me or my company, but these phones are primarily used by my close colleagues, and notes are taken. It is a fact that my daily phone traffic is very intense. The concept of 252+138 individuals claimed to have been contacted or met within approximately 2500 days is meaningless, invalid, and I believe that the very question is intentional. During the mentioned time frame, there have been three local elections and one general election, and as a political figure on Turkey's agenda, I can be just a grain of sand among the hundreds of calls I receive in a single day.
"A DELIBERATE AMBUSH STRATEGY"
I must also express that my advice to those asking this question to the prosecutors is that if they have details about individuals with such close ties to terrorism, it would be appropriate to alert the GSM operators in Turkey to signal that when these individuals call someone, a message saying 'A member of a terrorist organization is calling you' should be sent. Again, I must state that if such a significant political figure has been called by so many members of a terrorist organization, it is intentional not to warn me, especially as someone who has received death threats from some terrorist organizations, and I see this as a deliberate ambush strategy. I would also like to state that I will file a criminal complaint against those institutions and organizations involved in this statement. It is the state's duty to protect every citizen.
"I WILL SEEK MY LEGAL RIGHTS"
İmamoğlu stated: "I would like to express that I will seek my legal rights in the strongest possible way against those who have acted deliberately against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who manages one of the largest cities in the world, and who has put my life in danger."
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ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOUT AZAD BARIŞ
Imamoğlu responded to the question about former HDP Co-Chair Azad Barış, saying, "I am a person who has had very different meetings with other political parties and the think tanks, political analysis institutions, and experts that primarily serve them during similar political periods. My relationship with Azad Barış is within this framework."
Please explain your phone conversations with the person named Azad Barış;
Imamoğlu: I want to answer all questions regarding this person after seeing them.
You have many common base records with the person named Azad Barış; please explain this situation?
Imamoğlu: I know the person named Azad BARIŞ. During the approximately 7 years I have been in contact with Azad Barış, I have held meetings that included some members of parliament from the DEM party in almost all conversations or meetings. Mr. Azad participated in various meetings where we listened to political evaluations together with some of our friends at the table, to share assessments and political openings through an institution that conducts sociological, political research, and evaluations, although I do not know his full education. My relationship with Azad Barış is within this framework.
"I DO NOT ACCEPT THE STATEMENTS OF THE SECRET WITNESS"
Imamoğlu used the following expressions: "The CHP does not need, nor can it have, the mediation of an outsider to establish a relationship with a party in its political history and institutional structure. I do not accept the secret witness application or their statements. They are fabricated, conspiracy-laden, and false statements.
"ALL LIES, SLANDER, FABRICATION"
I vehemently reject the witness statements. They are entirely lies, slander, fabrication, filled with very low-level sentences that insult the honor, dignity, and reputation of the mentioned individuals. I deeply regret and condemn that the esteemed Turkish judiciary prefers such a secret witness method and subjects the mayor who has won elections in Istanbul three times with historical record votes to these.
This process has tarnished Turkey's reputation. It has utterly destroyed the sense of law and justice in the eyes of citizens. It has disrupted its economy. It has devastated the hopes of the youth. Of course, the people and the administrators who manage this process will face the day of reckoning before the Almighty Creator and in this world.
"I swear that I will pursue to the end in legal terms those who carry out practices that will stain my honor and dignity for as long as the life given to me by God lasts. What I have to say is limited to these. The great costs imposed on Turkey, the unhappiness and unrest caused to people, and finally, the violation of rights during Ramadan have deeply affected me and my nation."
THE OPERATION IN WHICH IMAMOĞLU WAS DETAINED
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation against İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu and 99 suspects for the crimes of "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "embezzlement," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender." Additionally, an investigation was launched against İmamoğlu, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, and Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, among 7 suspects, for the crime of "aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization."
Following the detention orders, law enforcement agencies took action, and 91 suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, İBB Presidential Advisor Murat Ongun, Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık, Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, and singer Ercan Saatçi, were detained. The suspects who were detained and taken to the Istanbul Police Department's Vatan Campus were referred to the courthouse.
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