Ekrem İmamoğlu, CHP’s presidential candidate and Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, made a defense on the 50th day of the İBB trial held at the Marmara Closed Prison complex in Silivri. In the hearing where a total of 414 defendants, including 68 in detention, are being tried, he stated that the process is not functioning like a normal trial.
İmamoğlu reacted to the case being presented to the public under the headline "corruption of the century." He emphasized that the detained defendants have been held in prison for a long time without an indictment, stating that this is not in line with the principle of a fair trial.
Another issue raised during the hearing was the allegations of strip searches during detention, brought up by Media AŞ General Manager Fatoş Pınar Türker in court. İmamoğlu welcomed the process initiated by the Ministry of Interior on this matter and said a similar step should be expected from the Ministry of Justice as well.
In addition to allegations regarding police practices, İmamoğlu also said that claims about a prosecutor threatening a mother with her children should be investigated. He noted that these allegations can be easily reviewed through SEGBİS recordings and called for a swift evaluation.
İmamoğlu pointed out that defendants have been in prison for a long time, noting that for some individuals, no indictment has been prepared despite being detained for 13 months. This situation has become one of the most critical issues discussed in the case.
Defendants who made their statements during the hearing also responded to questions about internal institutional procedures. During interrogations between Murat Ongun and some defendants, they stated that they did not experience any pressure or direction and that tenders were conducted within certain criteria.
The trial attracted attention due to both the length of detention periods and procedural debates in the file. The case is closely followed not only for the defendants’ statements but also regarding the scope of the investigation and how the allegations will be addressed.
