02.07.2026 13:10
A heated argument broke out between Ekrem İmamoğlu and the court president during the 61st hearing of the IBB Case over the defense schedule. İmamoğlu stated that completing the first session on July 9 was not possible and objected to changing the defense order. As the argument escalated, the court president instructed the gendarmerie to remove İmamoğlu, his lawyers Tora Pekin and Mehmet Can Seyhan, and CHP MP Suat Özçağdaş from the courtroom. After the courtroom was also cleared, the hearing was adjourned.
The 61st hearing of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Case was held at the 1st Courtroom of Marmara Closed Prison in Silivri by the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court.
Taking the floor at the beginning of the hearing, Ekrem İmamoğlu referred to the dispute over defense time between Murat Ongun's lawyer Rahşan Daniş and the court president the previous day, saying, "Yesterday we left here with a known dispute. Inevitably, we are all conducting this deliberation both among ourselves and with our lawyers."
"THIS CASE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF BOTH TURKEY AND THE WORLD"
Stating that the case is closely followed both in Turkey and internationally, İmamoğlu said, "This case we are in is one that, unfortunately, attracts the attention of both Turkey and the world, presenting a period that is not very honorable for both Turkey and our nation. Its significance is high."
Noting that the defense process has generally proceeded orderly throughout the trial that has been ongoing since March 19, İmamoğlu said, "Even though there have been minor setbacks, the process has been conducted with as much understanding and mutual communication as possible."
"JULY 9 SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE"
Stating that Murat Ongun's defense is complete and his lawyers are trying to finish their defense, İmamoğlu drew attention to the names in the file who have not yet given their defense.
Reminding that the defenses of Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney, Tuncay Yılmaz and Fatih Keleş have not yet been taken, İmamoğlu said that with the current schedule, completing the first session on July 9 is not possible.
Stating that he himself is following many cases, İmamoğlu said, "We are fighting nearly 17 cases. We are trying to defend our rights and law with superhuman effort."
COURT PRESIDENT: WE WILL COMPLETE IT BY THE 9TH
The Court President, stating that there would be no change in the panel's decision, said, "We made an evaluation as a panel yesterday. Defenses will continue under normal trial procedure. We will not intervene in the content of the defense."
Stating that the defense order would also not change, the court president said, "We will take Tuncay Yılmaz's defense. Then we will continue with Mr. Ekrem."
Reiterating that the first session would be completed on July 9, the president said, "We will finish this by the 9th. There is no issue regarding whether it will be completed or not."
The court president, stating that defendants whose defenses are not completed will be left for the second session, said, "We have evaluated the defendants whose defenses we have taken and those we have not taken as defenses for the second half."
"WILL THERE BE AN OPERATION AFTER JULY 9?"
Taking the floor again after the Court President's statements, İmamoğlu stated that the date July 9 was later brought to the agenda and said, "You did it, I didn't. You brought the agenda of July 9 before us."
Questioning why the date July 9 was made a definitive deadline, İmamoğlu said, "If there is a mobilization regarding July 9, let us know. If there will be an operation after July 9, let us know so we can act accordingly."
Upon these words, the Court President warned, "Look, I will have you removed from the courtroom."
İmamoğlu responded, "What will you remove me for? What? I will leave; you don't need to have me removed."
"WILL THE APOCALYPSE HAPPEN IN TURKEY ON JULY 9?"
Continuing the argument, İmamoğlu claimed that an agreement on the defense order had been previously reached and that the panel had changed its stance.
Reminding that Fatih Keleş is shown as an organization leader in the indictment, İmamoğlu said that hearing Keleş before his own defense is important for his defense. "Fatih Bey is the person you show as the organization leader in the indictment. We agreed in the first week that he should speak before me, and you accepted. I said it in the interim defense, and you accepted. We talked at the beginning of this week, and you accepted again. Now when you say schedule, why has July 9 become a deadline, Mr. President? Will the apocalypse happen in Turkey on July 9? I don't understand." he said.
The Court President, wanting to end the argument, said, "Let's continue with our defense. After it is finished, we will take Tuncay, and after that is finished, we will take you."
İmamoğlu continued his objection, saying, "You say whether I make my defense before or after Fatih Bey changes nothing. It changes a lot for me. Hearing the defense of the person shown as the leader in the indictment before me shapes the order of my defense."
COURT PRESIDENT ORDERED THE CLEARING OF THE COURTROOM
As the argument escalated, the Court President instructed the gendarmerie to remove Ekrem İmamoğlu from the courtroom.
Meanwhile, the Court President also reacted to CHP Istanbul Deputy Suat Özçağdaş, who was in the audience section, saying, "He cannot play the clown here just because he is a deputy; take him out."
The Court President also gave instructions for lawyer Mehmet Can Seyhan and İmamoğlu's lawyer Tora Pekin to be removed from the courtroom.
Then, requesting that the audience section also be cleared, the court president adjourned the hearing.