The trial of jailed former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu entered its second day with tensions in the courtroom on Tuesday, as disputes broke out between the defendant, lawyers and security officers over courtroom procedures.
Imamoglu, who was removed from office and jailed pending trial as part of a corruption investigation, objected after court officials attempted to seat him in the back row of the courtroom. The arrangement followed a court decision that he would deliver his defense later in the proceedings.
According to witnesses in the courtroom, Imamoğlu insisted on sitting in the front row, leading to a heated exchange with gendarmerie officers tasked with maintaining security. The dispute triggered arguments involving defendants, lawyers and security personnel before the judges entered the courtroom.
Once the panel took their seats, the presiding judge instructed Imamoğlu to sit down and follow courtroom procedures.
"There is an order in this courtroom. You will speak when you are given the floor,” the judge told the defendant.
Imamoğlu responded by demanding the right to speak, saying he had been promised the opportunity during the previous day’s hearing.
At one point, Imamoğlu criticized the court, saying its actions were a disgrace and questioned whether the judges had received instructions from outside authorities. The presiding judge rejected the claim, saying the court was acting independently.
Earlier, lawyers also objected to a decision restricting entry to attorneys who were not directly representing defendants in the case. Court officials later said the measure had been introduced after some attorneys with legal authorization were unable to enter the courtroom during the first hearing.
Following the exchange, the hearing continued with the court taking attendance of both detained and non-detained defendants.
Prosecutors filed a 3,809-page indictment in November 2025, accusing Imamoğlu of leading a criminal organization allegedly involved in corruption-related offenses. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to 2,430 years if he is convicted.
The trial is being held at a courtroom inside the Marmara prison complex in Silivri, west of Istanbul, where Imamoğlu is being held.
Court officials said hearings are expected to continue four days a week until the end of April, when defendants will continue presenting their defenses.
Moreover, an indictment filed against Imamoğlu and three other defendants on charges of political espionage has been accepted by a court, which set the first hearing for May 11.
The Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court ruled that the trial of Imamoğlu, Hüseyin Gün, Necati Özkan and Merdan Yanardağ will begin at 10 a.m. on May 11 at a courtroom in Silivri.
Imamoğlu, who was suspended from his post as mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) following his arrest in a separate case involving allegations of leading a criminal organization for financial gain, faces between 15 and 20 years in prison if convicted of political espionage. The other three defendants face the same prison term.