Ekrem İmamoğlu, the opposition’s Presidential candidate and recently jailed mayor of Istanbul, has appeared in court today (11 April) in a politically charged case that critics say exemplifies growing government pressure on dissent in Turkey. The trial is taking place at Silivri Prison, a sprawling high-security facility west of Istanbul known for holding political prisoners and high-profile defendants.
| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
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| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
The case centers on remarks İmamoğlu made about Akın Gürlek, Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor, during a public panel discussion earlier this year. Gürlek, a figure closely associated with Turkey’s ruling party, is now listed as the complainant in the indictment, which seeks a prison sentence of up to 7 years and 4 months for İmamoğlu. The charges include “targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism efforts”—a broad and often-criticized clause in Turkish law that critics say is frequently used to stifle political criticism.
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Ekrem İmamoğlu is a prominent member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s main opposition party, and was seen as a rising star in national politics. He first rose to fame after winning the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election, defeating the candidate of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). That victory, later annulled and rerun under contentious circumstances, ended in an even larger win for İmamoğlu and was widely interpreted as a blow to Erdoğan’s political dominance.
| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
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| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
Imamoğlu’s defense
Standing before the court, Imamoğlu questioned the legitimacy of the charges and drew attention to his democratic mandate: “I am someone who has won the support of 16 million Istanbulites—not once, but three times. I represent their will. Why am I being tried for that?”
He linked his prosecution to broader political calculations, suggesting that his popularity made him a threat to the ruling party. “I’m here because those in power fear that whoever wins Istanbul also wins Turkey,” he said.
Political trials and familiar courtrooms
The hearing took place in Silivri Prison, in a courtroom complex that once hosted the infamous Ergenekon trials—a series of prosecutions in the late 2000s and early 2010s, now widely viewed as politically motivated attempts to silence military and secularist opponents of the government. Imamoğlu referenced this history in his remarks: “These courtrooms have not left a good legacy in the name of justice.”
Allegations of political interference
Imamoğlu challenged the basis of the case, suggesting it was initiated without proper legal scrutiny and may have relied on manipulated transcripts. He called into question whether the prosecutor had even reviewed his full remarks, asking the court whether a WhatsApp screenshot was the foundation of the indictment.
He also criticised state institutions for remaining silent. “Why isn’t TRT [the state broadcaster] airing this trial? Why isn’t Anadolu Agency reporting?” he asked, accusing public media of deliberately ignoring proceedings that affect millions of citizens.
“I’m not a threat, I’m a guarantor”
Responding to accusations that his rhetoric constituted a threat to the judiciary, Imamoğlu pushed back: “I am not threatening anyone. I am saying that I will be the guarantor of your children’s future, too.”
He denounced being associated with terrorism—a charge often levelled at political opponents in Turkey—as deeply offensive and unjust: “To link my name to terror is an insult to this nation. Anyone who looks at me sees the Republic, sees Atatürk.”
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An appeal to conscience
Throughout his address, Imamoğlu appealed directly to the conscience of the judiciary: “I hope your verdict will be in the name of justice, not fear. This country belongs to its people, not to a handful of men.”
He concluded by vowing to continue his struggle: “I have set out to bring justice to this land, and I will not stop—no matter who tries to do me harm.”
The trial is being closely watched both within Turkey and abroad, as many view it as a test of judicial independence and political freedom in the country.
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Significance of Silivri Prison
Although the trial was originally scheduled to take place in Çağlayan Courthouse—one of Turkey’s largest judicial complexes located in central Istanbul—it was later moved to Courtroom No. 2 at the Marmara Prison Campus in Silivri – an infamous prison synonymous with political persecution. This last-minute relocation has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, who see it as an attempt to shield the hearings from media scrutiny.
Gökhan Günaydın, the CHP’s Deputy Group Chair in Parliament, likened them to the notorious Ergenekon trials – a series of high-profile trials between 2008-2016. These trials, held in the same Silivri facility, targeted military officers, journalists, and academics accused of plotting a coup against Erdoğan’s government. The cases were later widely discredited and sentences overturned.
“Same opening scene, same ending,” Günaydın wrote on social media, suggesting İmamoğlu’s case follows the same script.
Imamoğlu’s “criminal” remarks
The charges against İmamoğlu stem from a panel on 20 January 2025, where he allegedly criticized Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor Gürlek, who at the time was leading multiple cases targeting several Istanbul district mayors from the CHP. Turkish prosecutors interpreted his words as an attempt to “intimidate” or “target” a senior legal official involved in anti-terror operations. İmamoğlu defended himself by pointing to what he described as the politicization of the judiciary.
He also sharply criticized President Erdoğan, referencing Erdoğan’s comments that “the biggest reveal is still in the bag,” a Turkish idiom implying that more damning evidence is yet to come. İmamoğlu interpreted this as Erdoğan interfering directly in the judiciary: “Does the President have the right to inspect a court case? Yet he says he’s following it personally. He’s acting like the prosecutor of the case.”
| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
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| Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu faces first trial |
Who is Akın Gürlek?
Akın Gürlek is a highly controversial figure in Turkey’s judiciary. Opposition parties, human rights groups, and international observers have accused him of overseeing politically motivated trials, including the convictions of prominent figures like Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş and philanthropist Osman Kavala. Gürlek has been promoted rapidly within the judiciary and is often viewed as a key legal enforcer of the Erdoğan administration.
Critics have dubbed him “the AKP’s judicial instrument,” citing his role in high-profile prosecutions that often align with the ruling party’s political agenda.
A second trial today: The Beylikdüzü contract case
İmamoğlu also faces a separate trial over his tenure as mayor of Beylikdüzü, a district on Istanbul’s western edge, before he became city-wide mayor in 2019. In that case, he is accused of “irregularities in public tenders”—specifically, tampering with a municipal contract. The investigation was initiated by Turkey’s Ministry of the Interior in 2023 and led to a criminal case seeking a sentence of 3 to 7 years in prison, along with a political ban.
In the most recent hearing in May 2024, the prosecutor pointed out contradictions between two expert reports used during the investigation. The judge has ordered a new report from a fresh panel of three independent experts before the case proceeds.
A growing pattern of legal pressure in Turkey
İmamoğlu’s supporters view the growing number of cases against him as part of a broader pattern of judicial harassment aimed at sidelining strong opposition figures ahead of critical national elections. International observers, including the European Union and rights organizations such as Amnesty International, have raised alarms about what they describe as a deteriorating rule of law in Turkey.
Silivri, once again the site of high-stakes political trials, now hosts one of the country’s most prominent opposition leaders under charges many call symbolic of Turkey’s deepening democratic crisis.
