16.03.2026 11:09
On the fifth day of the corruption case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, which includes 402 defendants, 105 of whom are in custody, Ekrem İmamoğlu and other defendants appeared before the judge. CHP Istanbul MP Turan Taşkın Özer, who entered the courtroom in a lawyer's robe, was asked to move to the audience section. The court panel decided that the MPs should sit in the audience section, and a break was taken before the hearing began due to the discussions that took place.
The investigation into 'Corruption' against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and arrested, was completed, and an indictment of 3,809 pages was prepared on November 11, 2025. In the indictment, Ekrem İmamoğlu, whose name is mentioned as 'Organization leader', is accused of committing the crimes of 'Establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime', 'Bribery', 'Money laundering', 'Fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations', 'Recording personal data', 'Seizing and disseminating personal data', 'Concealing criminal evidence', 'Obstructing communication', 'Causing damage to public property', 'Receiving bribes', 'Publicly disseminating misleading information', 'Extortion', 'Money laundering of assets derived from crime', 'Interfering with a tender', 'Deliberately polluting the environment', 'Violating tax procedure law', 'Violating forest law', and 'Violating mining law'. İmamoğlu is facing a request for imprisonment ranging from 828 years and 2 months to 2,352 years for 142 actions.
SECOND WEEK OF TRIALS
The first hearing was held on Monday, March 9. In last week's hearings, detained defendants Aykut Erdoğdu, Sırrı Küçük, Ümit Polat, and Bulut Aydöner made their defenses. While there was no hearing on Friday, the second week of hearings, which continued for 4 days of the week, began today.
HEARING ADJOURNED AGAIN
The hearing started around 10:30 with the arrival of the court panel in the hall. The gendarmerie wanted to change the seat of CHP Member of Parliament Turan Taşkın Özer, who came to the hearing in his robe and sat in the lawyer section. Özer, who reacted to the request, said, "This is not a prison. I came here as a lawyer. I am taking my notes, and the indictment is open in front of me. Enough already. If you can't manage it, don't do it."
The presiding judge requested MP Özer to move to the audience section.
Özer: Based on which article of which law?
Presiding Judge: Do you have a power of attorney?
Özer: We are registered lawyers. We are not disrupting the order by following the hearing. What is the problem?
Presiding Judge: You can follow from the audience section and take your notes from there. We start every morning with a similar issue. We cannot manage this place in this way. Please let’s move to the audience section. What is your title here right now?
Özer: Force me out.
During the discussion, lawyer Kazım Yiğit Akalın also reacted to the court. Lawyer Ali Rıza Dizdar stated that the other two lawyers representing his client did not come and that he could give power of attorney to Özer. The presiding judge insisted on Özer moving to the audience section. As the discussions continued, the presiding judge adjourned the hearing. The detained defendants are being taken down from the hall.
İMAMOĞLU ENTERED THE HALL, DETAINEES STOOD UP
As detained Mehmet Pehlivan was brought into the hall, applause erupted. When Ekrem İmamoğlu entered the hall, 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 again chanted slogans of "President İmamoğlu" and "Everything will be very beautiful" with applause.
TENSION BETWEEN CHP'S ÖZER AND GENDARMERIE
The gendarmerie wanted to change the seat of CHP Member of Parliament Turan Taşkın Özer, who came to the hearing in his robe and sat in the lawyer section.
Özer, who reacted to the request, said, "This is not a prison. I came here as a lawyer. I am taking my notes, and the indictment is open in front of me. Enough already. If you can't manage it, don't do it."
LAST SESSION ENDED EARLY
On the fourth day of the İBB case, there was a discussion in the hall on Thursday, March 12.
During the break, it was decided to change the places of journalists who were asked questions by İmamoğlu, who was taken out of the hall by the gendarmes.
The presiding judge stated that they made this decision because the press members "abused their good intentions," and after the break, he once again adjourned the hearing, requesting the hall to be emptied and the order of the hearing to be ensured.
Journalists who reacted to the decision stated that there was no table where they wanted to pass and that they remained at the farthest point of the hall, saying they would not get up. Upon this, the presiding judge postponed the hearing to Monday, citing "the order of the hearing could not be ensured."
After the decision, voices of "Rights, law, justice" rose from the hall, while the relatives of the detained and politicians watching the hearing supported the journalists with applause.
THERE WILL BE NO HEARING ON MARCH 19, THURSDAY
In the fifth hearing to be held in the building of Marmara Open Prison Campus in Silivri by the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court, the defendants' defenses will continue to be taken. On the other hand, there will be no hearing on Thursday, March 19, due to the eve of Ramadan Feast.