04.11.2025 12:04
The trial of 12 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who are accused of irregularities at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress and charged with "violating election laws," has been postponed to January 13, 2026.
In the 38th Ordinary Congress of the CHP, the trial of 12 defendants, including the former Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from duty and arrested on the grounds of irregularities, has been postponed to January 13, 2026, for the charge of "violating the election law."
The lawsuit filed by former Hatay Metropolitan Mayor Lütfü Savaş and some delegates for the annulment of the 38th Ordinary Congress and the 21st Extraordinary Congress scheduled for April 2025 was rejected by the Ankara 42nd Civil Court on October 24. With the rejection decision, the absolute nullity possibility for the annulment of the congress was eliminated.
In the criminal case heard today, the indictment prepared by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office alleges that during the congress process on November 4-5, 2023, some delegates were offered "money in exchange for votes." The trial of the 12 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, has been postponed to January 13, 2026.
BACKGROUND OF THE CASE
An investigation into irregularities regarding the 38th Ordinary Congress held by the CHP on November 4-5, 2023, was initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
Former Hatay Mayor Lütfü Savaş and some delegates had separately filed lawsuits in different courts for the annulment of the CHP's congress held on November 4-5, 2023.
The annulment lawsuits were consolidated in the file at the Ankara 42nd Civil Court on February 14. In the hearing on June 30, the court decided to wait for the outcome of the objection to the lack of jurisdiction in the criminal case and postponed the hearing to September 8.
CHP lawyers stated that September 4-9 is the founding week of the CHP and that activities will be held during these dates in accordance with Article 86 of the party's statute, requesting the postponement of the hearing on September 8. The court found the request reasonable and decided to hold the hearing on September 15.
The court ruled that the decisions and reasoned decisions from the case at the Ankara 26th Criminal Court, where 12 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, are being tried, and the case at the Ankara 3rd Civil Court regarding the allegation that delegates were provided with benefits at the CHP's Istanbul Provincial Congress, thus corrupting their will, should be included in the case file.
Additionally, the court decided to request the consolidation minutes of the delegate list for the extraordinary congress scheduled for September 21, as well as the names of all delegates who voted and did not vote, participated and did not participate in the election, and the list of delegates who participated and did not participate in the election at the Istanbul provincial congress.