Court acquits 87 defendants over Istanbul protests

ISTANBUL

A Turkish court on Nov. 28 acquitted all 87 defendants who were tried for taking part in protests that erupted following the March investigations targeting the Istanbul Municipality and its jailed mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

İmamoğlu was arrested in late March along with several senior municipal officials on corruption charges.

The popular figure and presidential candidate from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) remains in pre-trial arrest, facing a prison sentence of more than 2,300 years.

The March operation sparked mass demonstrations, with thousands pouring into the streets to denounce the probe as politically motivated.

Hundreds were detained after police intervened in large-scale protests that began in front of the municipal headquarters in the Saraçhane region of the Fatih district.

The court ruled on Nov. 28 that all 87 defendants were acquitted.

“There is no solid basis to conclude that the defendants committed the alleged offense,” the judge said in delivering the verdict.

Separately, 12 others, eight journalists and four lawyers whose cases had been severed, were also cleared on Nov. 27.

They had been accused of breaching public assembly regulations by prosecutors.

The indictment noted that the Istanbul Governor’s Office had imposed a ban on marches and protests from March 19 to 23, later extending the order for an additional four days.

It stated that despite the bans, various demonstrations and marches were held at multiple locations across the city.

In response to the March investigation, the CHP held a series of consecutive rallies outside the city hall in Saraçhane to show solidarity with İmamoğlu and to denounce the operation.