19.08.2026 22:21
Tension between Ekrem Imamoglu and the court president marked the 67th hearing of the IMM case. When Imamoglu asked a question to the confessed defendant Erol Naim Ozguner, the court president intervened, saying, 'You cannot ask such a question; you are trying to pressure the defendant.' The judge restricted Imamoglu's questions and used the phrase 'Something you don't like may come out,' which raised the tension in the courtroom, while IMM employee Ozgur Turkmen's defense regarding the taping of hotel cameras also stood out.
Tensions rose during the 67th hearing of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) case. During Ekrem Imamoglu's questions to the confessing defendant Erol Naim Ozguner, the court president intervened, saying, "You cannot ask questions like that; you are trying to pressure the defendant." Following Imamoglu's objections and the lawyers' reactions, the court president said, "Do not speak without being given the floor. If anyone speaks without being given the floor, I will have them removed from the hall. Those who are displeased may leave."
The third hearing of the second session of the case, in which 414 defendants, 53 of them detained, including Presidential Candidate and dismissed Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) President Ekrem Imamoglu, are being tried, was held in a hall set up by the Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court across from the Marmara Closed Penal Institution in Silivri.
In addition to Imamoglu, some detained defendants, including Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan and Beylikduzu Mayor Mehmet Murat Calik, who were suspended from their duties after their arrests, attended the hearing.
KILER'S DEFENSE REGARDING THE NURSERY
At the hearing, first, the non-detained defendant Emin Ture was heard. Ture stated that he reiterated his previous defenses and requested his acquittal.
Then, Nahit Kiler, the brother of former AK Party Deputy Vahit Kiler and a non-detained defendant, made his defense. Kiler said he had a nursery built for the municipality, but due to his workload, he had the construction done by Asoy Construction, owned by Adem Soytekin.
After Kiler's defense, Mehmet Murat Calik took the floor and asked, "Did I ever ask you for money for my financial benefit?" Kiler stated that Calik never asked him for any money and that he directed him to the relevant company for the nursery construction.
Calik also stated that he was in prison on the date the prosecution alleged bribery negotiations took place, saying, "Mr. Nahit could only come and negotiate with me with the permission of the Ministry of Justice."
When lawyer Nergis Ince asked Kiler whether he also made donations to places like mosques and Quran courses in Bitlis, Kiler said he had made such donations. The court president noted that the question was about the manner of the donation rather than the donation itself.
"I HAVE NEVER SEEN HUSEYIN GUN IN MY LIFE"
After the break, confessing defendants Naim Erol Ozguner and Ertan Yildiz also attended the hearing. The turn for defense came to Ismet Koyun.
Koyun, stating that he did not know businessman Huseyin Gun at all, said, "I don't know why I am here. I have never seen Huseyin Gun in my life. He allegedly did business with IBB, but I have no knowledge of it."
Koyun, stating that he is the owner of the KOBIL company, said that their first work with IBB dates back to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's mayoralty period.
Koyun, stating that he took part in the Akbil project and the e-Government project, said, "Erdogan personally followed the project."
Explaining that he sold security systems to many brands in Turkey and the world, Koyun said, "I developed many technologies for this country. Now I am here where there should be pride. It hurts me a lot."
When the court president interrupted during his defense and asked him not to deviate from the subject, Koyun argued that there were three separate reports about him and that no evidence of any information leakage was found in these reports.
"WHOEVER CLAIMS I INSTALLED A SPY PROGRAM MUST PROVE IT"
Ismet Koyun also denied the allegations that a spy program was installed on IBB's "Istanbul Yours" application.
Koyun argued that such an action was not possible regarding the application in question, saying, "Whoever claims this must prove it."
Koyun also stated that he did not conduct any work with Huseyin Gun or Murat Ongun through the Istanbul Yours application.
"I AM THE BRAIN BEHIND THE 'SUSPENDED INVOICE' APPLICATION"
After Koyun, the defense of former IBB Information Technology Department Head and confessing defendant Naim Erol Ozguner was taken up.
Introducing himself, Ozguner claimed to be the brain behind IBB's 'Suspended Invoice' application. Ozguner argued that he had no relationship or contact with Huseyin Gun.
After his defense, Ozguner's interrogation began.
IMAMOGLU TO OZGUNER: "WHY DID YOU HIDE MY PHONE AT YOUR HOME?"
In his question to Ozguner, Imamoglu asked, "Why did you hide my phone at your home?"
Ozguner, stating that the phone was not hidden, replied, "I kept it safe."
Imamoglu said the phone in question was a device he had used about 6-7 years ago and later transferred to his private secretary.
While Imamoglu was asking questions, the court president intervened, saying, "You cannot ask questions like that; you are trying to pressure the defendant."
IMAMOGLU: "ARE YOU A MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZATION?"
This time, Imamoglu asked Ozguner, "During your employment, did you see an organization? Are you a member of an organization?"
Ozguner replied, "I cannot say whether there is an organization or not. But I am not a member of an organization."
Thereupon, the court president intervened again. In response to Imamoglu's words, "You also did not let me make my defense," the judge replied, "I gave you time; you did not do it yourself."
"THOSE WHO ARE DISPLEASED MAY LEAVE"
After the lawyers' objections, the court president issued a warning regarding the procedure in the courtroom.
The judge said, "Do not speak without being given the floor. If anyone speaks without being given the floor, I will have them removed from the hall. Those who are displeased may leave."
The court president also stated that Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CMK) would be applied in the subsequent question-and-answer session. Accordingly, instead of directly asking questions to the defendant, the parties would first submit their questions to the court, and the court president would direct the questions he deemed appropriate to the defendant.
RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION "DO YOU OFTEN TAPE OVER CAMERAS?"
At the hearing, Ozgur Turkmen, a non-detained defendant working as a civil servant at IBB, also made his defense. Turkmen denied the accusations regarding the taping over of security cameras at the hotel visited by Ekrem Imamoglu.
Stating that he became a civil servant through KPSS and earns his living with his civil servant salary, Turkmen said he went to the hotel on the day of the incident so that Imamoglu could change his clothes. Rejecting the charge of "concealing or altering crime evidence" directed at him, Turkmen argued that as a civil servant, he would not undertake such an attempt.
Turkmen stated that if the hotel's entry and exit footage were examined, it would be seen that Imamoglu entered the hotel in his suit, later left alone, and stayed inside for about 15 minutes.
In response to the prosecutor's question, "Do you often tape over cameras?", Turkmen said, "No, I did it once."
He responded, "It was unintentional, not deliberate."
When the prosecutor asked whether he had been given any instructions regarding the taping of the cameras, Turkmen said, "No." Stating that he started his duty in December 2022, Turkmen claimed that this practice was already being carried out within the team when he took office.
Turkmen argued that the practice was initiated because images belonging to Imamoglu had previously been leaked to the press, and said that Imamoglu changing clothes at different events had now become a standard practice for the team.