Istanbul court resumes 414-defendant trial in Silivri after 40-day break, weighs İmamoğlu defense timing
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Istanbul's 33rd Heavy Penal Court resumed the trial of 414 defendants, including detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, in the new Silivri courtroom after a 40-day break. The court said İmamoğlu's defense would be taken at an appropriate place and within a reasonable time, while non-detained defendants began their defenses. The hearing took place in a 992 million-lira hall with capacity for 2,295 people that drew criticism from defense lawyers and Özgür Özel.
Key Facts
- The case involves 414 defendants, 53 of whom are detained, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu; the trial resumed after a 40-day break in the new Silivri courtroom.
- The court president said the absence of a defense at the session 40 days earlier was recorded as the exercise of the right to remain silent, and that İmamoğlu's defense would be taken at an appropriate place and within a reasonable time.
- The new Silivri courtroom is described as Turkey's largest trial hall, costing 992 million lira, with a capacity of 2,295 people and a total area of 2,240 square meters.
- Lawyer Hasan Fehmi Demir compared the hall to the Maksim Gazinosu and Yusuf's well, and asked for the trial to be moved to the Istanbul courthouse because the judges' elevated position violates the face-to-face principle.
- Özgür Özel said the right to defense cannot be left to the judge's discretion and called the situation the very height of disgrace.
Hearing Resumption
The Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court resumed the 414-defendant case in the new Silivri courtroom after a 40-day break, with 53 detainees among the defendants. The hearing continued on its 65th day, and the court evaluated İmamoğlu's defense request. The court president said the lack of a defense at the previous session 40 days earlier was treated as exercising the right to remain silent. The court then set the order of defenses and said İmamoğlu's defense would be taken at an appropriate place and within a reasonable time. "We are not blocking the right of defense," the court president said, after which non-detained defendants began their defenses; Ayşe Hitchins said she did not know why she was there or what action had occurred.
Silivri Courtroom Conditions
The new Silivri courtroom is described as Turkey's largest trial hall, with a construction cost of 992 million lira and a capacity of 2,295 people. The hall is 81 meters long and 40 meters wide, for a total area of 2,240 square meters. The capacity includes 555 defendants, 1,268 lawyers and 472 spectators at the same time. Relatives of the detained used binoculars to see their family members in the hall. Lawyer Hasan Fehmi Demir said the elevated position of the judge and prosecutor violates the face-to-face principle and asked for the trial to be moved to the Istanbul courthouse.
Opposition Criticism
Özgür Özel said İmamoğlu's right to defense is restricted. He said the previous session was told the defense right was unlimited, but later the defense was wanted to be squeezed into a short time. "The right to defense cannot be left to the judge's discretion," Özel said, calling the situation the very height of disgrace. He also criticized the physical conditions of the hall as a gigantic spacelessness and said lawyers could not make eye contact with their clients.
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Istanbul court resumes 414-defendant trial in Silivri after 40-day break, weighs İmamoğlu defense timing
