Istanbul court frees two of 53 jailed in Imamoglu case on day 75

September 7, 2026 at 02:03 PM2 min

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An Istanbul court ordered the release of two defendants in the Imamoglu case on its 75th day, while 51 others remain in custody. The decision came after defense lawyers objected to late-night hearings and demanded live broadcast of the trial.

Key Facts

The court released Bakırköy Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Akyüz and businessman Serkan Öztürk from custody.
53 defendants remain in custody in the case, with only two released on Thursday.
Ekrem İmamoğlu repeated his demand for live broadcast of the hearings, including past sessions.
Defense lawyer Tora Pekin said İmamoğlu's lawyers would not attend sessions after 18:00 if late hearings continue.
81 of 325 non-detained defendants had presented their defense as of the second phase that began on 17 August.

Release Decision

The court panel ordered the release of Bakırköy Municipality Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Akyüz and businessman Serkan Öztürk during Thursday's custody review. Families of many defendants who have been jailed for over a year and a half reacted to the release of only two of the 53 detainees. The decision was announced before Ekrem İmamoğlu made his own release request.

Defense Objections

At the start of the session, İmamoğlu's lawyer Tora Pekin objected to hearing hours that extend past midnight. Pekin stated that sessions should not continue after 18:00 unless there is a special necessity. She said the long hearing hours violate the right to a fair trial and that the defense had applied to the Turkish Medical Association for an opinion. Pekin warned that if conditions continue, at least İmamoğlu's lawyers would not be present after 18:00.

Trial Progress

The trial continued with the defense of non-detained businessman Necmeddin Şimşek after Pekin's objection. Businessman Alptekin Polat then made a brief defense statement. Selim İmamoğlu, son of Ekrem İmamoğlu, later took the stand. The second phase of the trial began on 17 August, and 81 of 325 non-detained defendants had presented their defense by this week.