ISTANBUL: Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading opposition figure, is due to present his defense in court on Wednesday, at the latest hearing in his trial for corruption. Imamoglu, considered to be the main opposition challenger to Turkiye’s veteran President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been in custody since March last year. The 55-year-old politician has been appearing at a prison court since March this year with 414 co-defendants, 59 of whom are also in detention.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on July 6 stood trial in three separate cases, involving charges of corruption, espionage and forgery of his university diploma.

Jailed former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu appeared in court Monday in three separate criminal proceedings, as one of the cases involving allegations...