Third week begins in high-profile Istanbul Municipality trial

ISTANBUL

Turkish soldiers stand guard behind barricades in front of the Marmara-Silivri Prison and Courthouse Complex where suspended Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu appears at his first hearing in a sweeping corruption case in Istanbul on March 9, 2026. (AFP)

The trial involving 407 defendants, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, over alleged corruption and misconduct linked to municipal operations entered its third week on March 23, continuing proceedings against 107 individuals currently in detention.

During the eighth session, lawyers resumed their defenses from last week, with testimonies expected this week from two other detained mayors: Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık.

Şahan faces multiple charges carrying potential sentences of 35 to 91 years in prison, while Çalık could face 30 to 88 years if convicted.

The trial schedule has been extended due to Ramadan, with court hours now running from 10 a.m. to as late as 9 or 10 p.m., aiming to complete all testimonies by the end of April. Murat Keleş, nephew of detained Istanbul Municipality Sports Club President Fatih Keleş, is also expected to testify this week.

Lawyers had requested a review of their clients’ detention status before the Eid holiday, but the court denied the request.

At the previous hearing, İmamoğlu criticized restrictions on courtroom attendance, calling them “asymmetric.” Only one family member per defendant is allowed, and each defendant is limited to three lawyers, a limitation he asked the court to lift.

Earlier sessions were marked by tension. On the first day in Silivri, İmamoğlu clashed with the presiding judge when he sought to speak. His microphone was cut off, and the courtroom was briefly cleared after lawmakers and spectators refused to leave. On the fourth day, a cooperating witness from a municipal subsidiary testified for the first time under a plea agreement.

The CHP maintains that the arrest of İmamoğlu and the legal actions against its mayors are politically motivated. The party has previously nominated İmamoğlu as its presidential candidate for the next elections.