Court to hear witnesses as 3rd hearing opens in Istanbul Municipality case

ISTANBUL

A court on Nov. 2 began the third hearing in the corruption case targeting Istanbul Municipality, two weeks after jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu delivered his defense.

During the third hearing, which opened in a courtroom at the vast prison complex in the Silivri district, the court is set to hear testimony from 60 witnesses, complainants and secret witnesses.

The proceedings are expected to be followed by the examination of the evidence and the submission of the prosecutor’s final opinion on the merits of the case.

The court has also ordered four secret witnesses, identified by the code names “İlke,” “Zeytin,” “Martı” and “Gürgen,” to be present at the third hearing.

Main opposition New Party leader Özgür Özel said in December 2025 that the secret witness identified by the code name “İlke” had formally withdrawn all of their previous statements and renounced their status as a protected witness shortly after giving testimony.

The fourth hearing, scheduled to follow the current session, is expected to focus on the examination and discussion of the evidence. Once this stage is completed, the prosecutor is expected to present a final opinion on the merits.

Following the prosecutor’s submission, all defendants and their lawyers are expected to make further statements in their defense.

The second hearing concluded on Oct. 17 with İmamoğlu’s defense, after which the court ordered the release of seven defendants and adjourned proceedings for a two-week break.

During his testimony, he maintained that the case was politically motivated, arguing that operations targeting the opposition, journalists, civil society organizations, trade unions and businesspeople over the past two years were all politically driven.

İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the New Party, has been behind bars for more than a year over corruption allegations.

His detention has been accompanied by a broader crackdown on opposition-run municipalities, with numerous opposition mayors and senior municipal officials also taken into custody over the past year and a half.