Jailed opposition mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his legal team boycotted a court hearing on Thursday, June 12, after condemning a last-minute change of venue as "unlawful." The case, one of several criminal proceedings against the Istanbul mayor, centers on comments he made about an expert witness involved in prosecutions of officials from his Republican People’s Party (CHP).
In a statement, the CHP said neither İmamoğlu nor his lawyers would attend the hearing, denouncing the relocation of the trial as procedurally improper. The hearing, originally set for Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse, was abruptly moved to Silivri Prison—where the mayor is detained—just 24 hours before the session.
From prison, İmamoğlu called the hearing "irregular" and inconsistent with fair trial principles. "I refuse to be part of such a process and will not attend," he declared in a written statement.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-to-four-year prison sentence and a political ban, accusing İmamoğlu of attempting to influence an expert witness. The court adjourned the case until September 26.
İmamoğlu, a prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was arrested nearly three months ago in a sweeping corruption investigation targeting Istanbul Municipality officials. His detention on March 19 sparked nationwide protests, with demonstrators accusing the government of political persecution.
The protests, some of Turkey’s largest in over a decade, led to hundreds of arrests, with many charged with inciting violence. Critics argue the cases against İmamoğlu aim to disqualify him from future elections, as a conviction could bar him from public office.
In a separate case, the mayor faces scrutiny over remarks criticizing Istanbul’s chief prosecutor. CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the hearing’s relocation, accusing authorities of suppressing public oversight. "If you fear people storming the courthouse, you must be doing something wrong," Özel said.
İmamoğlu, who ended the ruling party’s long hold on Istanbul in 2019, is widely seen as a leading challenger to Erdoğan in the next presidential race. Legal experts and opposition figures allege the cases against him are politically motivated, a claim the government denies.
The next hearing is scheduled for late September, as the legal battles shaping Turkey’s political future continue.