EYLEM SONBAHAR
A Turkish court on Friday acquitted Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu of “targeting public officials involved in counterterrorism efforts” but sentenced him to a total of 1 year, 8 months and 15 days in prison for “threatening” and “insulting a public official” over remarks directed at Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek.
The verdict was delivered during the third hearing of the case, held at the courtroom located inside the Silivri High-Security Prison Complex, west of Istanbul. İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), had been facing charges stemming from a speech he delivered during a panel titled “Modern Law and the Politicization of the Judiciary” on Jan. 20. In that speech, he had criticized the summoning of CHP Youth Branch Chair Cem Aydın for questioning by police, which led to accusations of insulting and threatening Gürlek and of targeting individuals working in counterterrorism.
In a packed courtroom attended by CHP Chair Özgür Özel, İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek and son Selim, CHP Istanbul provincial chair Özgür Çelik, party officials, mayors, and lawmakers, İmamoğlu was greeted with chants of “President Ekrem” and “The people’s hope, İmamoğlu.”
At the start of his defense statement, İmamoğlu responded to the presiding judge’s request for brevity by saying, “Life is already short, my statement will be as short as life.” He went on to sharply criticize the government, saying, “Turkey will not suffer from justice. It’s time for everyone to take a hard look at themselves.”
“Our country is going through hard times,” İmamoğlu said, adding, “The ruling power, by dividing our nation, cannot keep us out or exploit our people’s emotions through cheap politics. For this process to succeed, unlawful practices and the appointment of state trustees must be abandoned. Our duty is to build a life of dignity and solidarity.”
Tensions rose during the hearing when İmamoğlu addressed the prosecutor directly. After the prosecutor asked, “Why are you looking at me while speaking?” İmamoğlu replied, “Is it forbidden to look at the prosecutor?” prompting applause from attendees. The judge responded with a warning, saying that the courtroom would be cleared if applause continued.
“I am not one of those thinking about the next election, but about the next generation,” İmamoğlu said during his defense, continuing: “Whether it's the DEM Party or the MHP, distance yourselves from the mentality that sees this process as an opportunity for self-interest. They can try to silence us, sue us all they want—we haven’t wronged anyone, and we won’t let anyone wrong us.”
His lawyer, Fikret İlkiz, challenged the charge of targeting, noting that Gürlek's name appeared in an official decree of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK), which was published in the Official Gazette. “Does that make it a target list for terrorist organizations?” he asked.
Following İlkiz’s statement, Gürlek’s lawyer attempted to argue that “political speeches” were being made, but the judge cut him off, saying, “I am not giving you the floor, counsel.”
In his final remarks, İmamoğlu said, “I don’t accept the concept of ‘final words.’ As someone under judicial harassment, I want to say I am under attack. This is not a proper court, but a nomadic trial moved to Silivri. There is the ‘fool’ case with a 2-year, 7-month, 15-day prison and political ban sentence, still pending at the appellate court for three years. In the Beylikdüzü case, the prosecution has failed to submit an opinion five times—unheard of in Turkey’s judicial history. In the diploma case, my diploma was annulled under pressure from the prosecutor, and still, a new trial was opened at the High Criminal Court. Others charged in the same file were separated from me; there is clear haste here. I want my friend Mehmet Çalık to be returned to his home. Enough—this is heading toward murder. This is not a trial. I am not concerned with those giving me stern looks—this will pass.”
After a 45-minute break, İmamoğlu returned to the courtroom, once again greeted with chants of “President İmamoğlu.”
The Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court announced its ruling: İmamoğlu was acquitted of the charge of targeting individuals involved in counterterrorism but sentenced to 2 months and 15 days for “threat” and 1 year, 5 months and 15 days for “insulting a public official.” The court stated that the verdicts were not unanimous, with one panel member voting to acquit on all charges.
