Former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who is standing trial on organized crime and corruption-related charges, began presenting his first defense Wednesday, focusing on current political developments rather than the allegations against him.
Imamoğlu, who remains in pretrial detention and is identified by prosecutors as the alleged leader of a criminal organization, addressed the court on the 34th day of the trial's second hearing.
During the initial session, Imamoğlu discussed political developments but did not directly address the specific allegations outlined in the indictment.
The proceedings follow a tense exchange between Imamoğlu and the presiding judge during a July 8 hearing, when the defendant objected to restrictions on the time allocated for his defense.
The judge told Imamoğlu that he could either present his defense or exercise his right to remain silent.
"I am not exercising my right to remain silent," Imamoğlu responded, before insisting that the court could not determine what he would say.
During the confrontation, Imamoğlu also declared that he would put those responsible for preparing the indictment on trial.
Prosecutors subsequently opened a separate investigation into Imamoğlu on suspicion of threatening a public official, citing his remarks directed at the judicial proceedings.
The latest hearing marks the beginning of Imamoğlu's substantive defense phase in the high-profile trial, although he had yet to respond to the charges during Wednesday's opening session.
The indictment identifies Imamoğlu as the alleged “leader of a criminal organization” and accuses him of offenses including forming an organization to commit crimes, bribery, money laundering, fraud against public institutions, unlawfully recording and obtaining personal data, concealing evidence, obstructing communications, damaging public property, publicly disseminating misleading information, extortion, bid-rigging, deliberate environmental pollution and violations of tax, forestry and mining laws.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of between 828 years, two months and 2,352 years for the ex-mayor over 142 alleged acts.
New Party (YP) Chair Özgür Özel and several party lawmakers attended the proceedings, alongside Imamoğlu's wife and parents.