Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and over 400 others are on trial in a case that has drawn scrutiny from observers of Turkish politics. On Thursday, March 26, 2026, the 11th day of the trial saw questioning of Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık.
During the session, İmamoğlu addressed Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, stating, “You cannot say ‘this is a corruption of the century,’ especially if it involves a political figure, let alone the head of justice. This is not like selling notes under duress.” İmamoğlu also directed questions to Murat Çalık during the proceedings.
LIVE BLOG
2:45 PM | MURAT KELEŞ GAVE A STATEMENT
Following the completion of his defense yesterday, the questioning of detained Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık took place today.
İmamoğlu began his remarks by saying, “There are four men from the same family in detention. Their families have been left alone. This is heartbreaking.”
Keleş stated that he is not a member of any organization and that the accusations against him stem from remorseful statements and lack concrete evidence.
Keleş requested his release.
2:30 PM | ÇALIK TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
Attorney Cihan Ünal made a statement regarding the health of Mehmet Murat Çalık, requesting his release.
Ünal stated that Çalık was taken to the hospital overnight.
1:35 PM | INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF RELEASE REQUESTS
The hearing resumed.
A key development occurred in the İBB case. An initial assessment of the release requests will be made on Thursday, April 2nd.
A review of the detention status of the detained defendants will be conducted. Defense attorneys will be given the opportunity to speak on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week. The court will announce its decisions on Thursday.
The court president stated: “We plan to give the opportunity to speak regarding release to the attorneys of the defendants whose defense we have not yet heard, for 3 days next week – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday – and then produce a detention assessment and then again give the opportunity to speak regarding the merits of the case where we left off.”
12:15 PM | HEARING ADJOURNED
The İBB trial has been adjourned.
As Ekrem İmamoğlu left the courtroom, he offered well wishes to Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş.
11:00 AM | ÇALIK’S ATTORNEY: THE INDICTMENT SHOULD BE RETURNED
The defense of Mehmet Murat Çalık’s attorney, Fatih Selami Mahmutoğlu, began.
Pointing out that his client has been detained for a year, Mahmutoğlu emphasized that the indictment should be returned and that the process was conducted carelessly, and unlawfully.
Mahmutoğlu said, “My client is detained on charges of being a member of an organization. There was no indictment for extortion, but for bribery.”
Mahmutoğlu emphasized that the detention hearings were conducted without his client’s attorney and that this violated a Constitutional Court ruling. Mahmutoğlu also said, “If the files are not treated as containing people, everything turns into objects.”
10:45 AM | İMAMOĞLU’S QUESTIONS TO ÇALIK
During the hearing, İmamoğlu directed questions to Murat Çalık. The questions and answers were as follows:
Ekrem İmamoğlu: I am working to prove and reveal the true nature of something that has been proven. The evidence; but the prosecution has acted on statements and presented a fabricated indictment. A fabricated indictment has emerged. I seek to start with this section and question my esteemed President Mehmet Murat Çalık: In 2018, December, my candidacy for the metropolitan municipality was finalized. Or rather, I accepted the offer made to me. I expressed this to our President, Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu, at the time. Afterwards, naturally, until that day I was a natural candidate for the Beylikdüzü Municipality. But from that date, a new path was drawn. About 4.5 months before the election, even 4 months. As soon as it was drawn… I, in that process… Mehmet Bey has already explained how we met, so I won’t go into that.
“I wanted you to be a candidate for mayor of Beylikdüzü, what do you say?” I conveyed this offer to him. His first answer was negative, frankly. It was a description of not thinking it was right, or whether it would be appropriate. Let me ask that again, President. Was our dialogue like that?
Mehmet Murat Çalık: Yes, President.
Ekrem İmamoğlu: Secondly, my candidacy… Because my candidacy does not happen with the signature of one person, like in other parties, but with the approval of the Party Council, as required by our party’s statutes. I insisted with the Party Council to determine Beylikdüzü, “Please think about this, think quickly, let’s talk again in 1-2 days,” and after persuading him to agree to his candidacy, I didn’t just get his approval, but also discussed it with the district organization. “I have this idea, what do you think?” I said. It was largely accepted and that’s how he became the candidate for the Beylikdüzü Municipality. Why am I telling you this? I’m telling you this because this approval happened, there is an organization, we were established in 2014, we seized Beylikdüzü, and we will seize the Metropolitan Municipality and Istanbul. What kind of organization are we? And so on. President, this is not an organization, it is the product of an organized political effort. I want to express this. Looking at 2009, we are a party that lost the election with 30% in 2009, won the election with 51% in 2014, won the election with 54% in 2019. There is a 15-year trend from 30% to 60%. This is not a crime organization, it is a struggle for democracy.
Mehmet Murat Çalık: No, President.
Ekrem İmamoğlu: Let’s continue. The last, yes, okay. What shall we do? I must say this, it is very key. The fact that we are here, the fact that our friends are here under arrest, the hardship of their families, I will not go into that, but this is a very heavy job. It’s a very heavy job for us. And please, continue to show the care you have shown so far, but this country, this nation expects you to manage this process with great responsibility. I hope you make history.
Ekrem İmamoğlu: I would like to complete with this. I would like to express my gratitude to you for your attention and care. Mehmet Murat Çalık, may God protect you.
10:30 AM | GÜRLEK REFERENCE
İmamoğlu made a reference to Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, stating, “You cannot say ‘this is a corruption of the century,’ especially if it involves a political figure, let alone the head of justice. This is not like selling notes under duress.” İmamoğlu also directed questions to Murat Çalık during the proceedings.
İmamoğlu made the following statements:
“I think it is very valuable to clarify and inform you by asking these questions. Because we are facing a difficult job and we are going through a difficult process. We are forced to respond to lies and slander, and we are in a state of arrest. It is a heavy burden. A very heavy burden for us. The hardship of people, children, women, and families here, I will not go into that, but this is really a heavy job. And please, continue to show the care you have shown so far, but this country, this nation expects you to manage this process with great responsibility. I hope you make history.
Really, it’s not simple to make political statements… Why did I mention the intervention? We are still facing interventions from both the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office and other authorities. And we are in a difficult situation. The case highlights the challenges facing political opposition in Turkey.
10:25 AM | DEFENDANTS BROUGHT INTO COURT
The detained defendants were brought into the courtroom to applause.
10:15 AM | PRESS CARD CHECK
Following an incident yesterday where someone entered the İBB case with a fake press card, today a check was conducted on the turquoise press cards issued by the Communications Directorate to journalists.
