Temperatures rose quickly on the opening day of the mass corruption trial involving Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and more than 400 co-defendants, with the mayor challenging the judge and seeking permission to address supporters at the outset of the hearing.
The judges did not allow Imamoglu to proceed, arguing that such a request was not part of regular court procedure, as the mayor’s supporters chanted slogans in his favour.
Imamoglu walked towards the bench, asking to speak. The presiding judge ordered his microphone to be switched off. “You cannot continue like this,” the judge warned.
Imamoglu responded: “Starting the trial in this way is very wrong. People who have been victimised here must be able to defend themselves.”
Imamoglu, 55, faces more than 140 charges including corruption and running a criminal organisation. He and his party, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), deny the charges, which carry potential prison sentences ranging from hundreds to 2,340 years.
