Ekrem İmamoğlu shares full text of his defense in court: 'I am a threat to one person'

While İmamoğlu was acquitted of the charge of "targeting," he received prison sentences for two other charges. İmamoğlu was sentenced to a total of 1 year and 8 months in prison. The verdict for the charges of threat and insult was reached by a majority vote.

Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is being held at the Marmara Prison in Silivri, shared the full text of his defense through his "Presidential Candidate Office" account.

İmamoğlu captioned his post, "Let them file lawsuits against us from night to morning. Our courage is full. We have not eaten anyone's rights. Thank God, we have not let our rights be eaten, and we will not let them be."

The full text of İmamoğlu's defense is as follows:

I Will Continue the Struggle on Behalf of My Nation!

Silivri Open Penal Institution Courtroom, July 16, 2025 - Ekrem İmamoğlu, Decision Hearing of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek Case

Presiding Judge: “You made your statement regarding the merits in the previous session. Let us take your statement again very briefly. Keep it short, though.”

“Life is short anyway, I hope my presentation to you will be as short as life. The reason we are here is not a situation that can be limited to words in a panel.”

We are in a very important turning point in Turkey's history and in the process of being tried in an Istanbul court. But we cannot even hold our trial in the courthouse. We cannot do it at its existing address, we are doing it at another address. Therefore, everything is actually developing extraordinarily. I remember the last hearing, and in the speech I made at the hearing, in the process where I expressed my feelings regarding the evaluation of that day, I ended my sentences and my speech as follows: ‘While there is a risk of spreading to almost the entire region around us, Turkey is carrying a great risk with heavy problems, and while struggling with the political and economic risks created by these fractures, there is no other way left but to strengthen the ‘internal front,’ as the government puts it. This country does not suffer from an environment of mutual compromise, unity, togetherness, and justice. Today, there is no other way for everyone but to put their hat in front of them and think. Either we will change this heavy picture or we will lose,’ I said, ending my words. Not even a month has passed since that day. But I have to express here again the sadness of experiencing the exact opposite processes, instead of putting the hat in front of one and thinking, even within a month.

Since June 23, 2025, unfortunately, we have seen operations through conspiracies, unlawful arrests, slanderers, and liars, practices that violate the presumption of innocence, and again, violence and imprisonment processes that deeply affect people, ignore conscientious, humanitarian, and health rules, and keep lives under threat... I say ‘and more,’ because I will not go into too much detail, but another indictment is emerging in a hurry and panic. While there is neither a forged document nor any fabricated document in a transaction made by an 18-year-old youth, an investigation is opened against him for ‘forgery.’ An 18-year-old Ekrem! When I went to give my first statement, I said; ‘Mr. Prosecutor, you are taking my statement... I mean, you are asking about a transaction from 35 years ago... Let’s assume I was 17, what would you have done?’ I asked. ‘We would have called your guardian;’ he replied. I don’t know if he answered correctly or incorrectly, but... I mean, forgery by an 18-year-old Ekrem, and they are not satisfied with that, they also show foresight and prepare an indictment that will bring a political ban to ban the 18-year-old Ekrem from politics, saying, ‘He might become a presidential candidate in the future!’

Since that day, we have been in a truly painful process, a process that deeply affects Turkey. This nation is already miserable. It is truly very sad. Look; let us think about such a period: We are giving 12 martyrs. We cannot even question why we gave our 12 martyrs. May our nation have patience. We are giving 12 martyrs. Why did we give our martyrs? How did it happen? Why did we lose our 12 people? I mean, while the life of even one person is very valuable in some countries, 12 martyrs are given. As if nothing happened, in a day or two, people who talk big do not make a sound. We have turned into such a country. And we are very sad. I mean, we are in a trap, in an environment where we cannot even ensure justice in an LGS exam, and where no one can look their own 13-14-year-old child in the face. And today, at this very point, we are in a period where the nation has become poorer and more impoverished with the operations that have been going on since March, which brought us to this troubled environment.

The world is experiencing a great change with its economy and politics. New global and regional alliances are being established. The production method of the economy, the speed of progress of technology... With a truly dizzying speed, the countries of the world are preparing themselves for a new era. And we are in a century where a great change that will determine the fate of nations and states will take place in the coming century. In this new era, we see that countries that produce, provide and execute rational diplomacy, have a strong legal order, establish the rule of law, and at the same time raise new generations according to the expectations of the age, and raise their children and youth properly for tomorrow with science, reason, and a fair mind will win. But where are we? We have been in an economic order that has been tossing our nation from here to there for 10 years.

With fabricated strategies, with the mind of a handful of ambitious people who accept as an order whatever comes out of the lips of one person who said ‘I am an economist’ from night to morning, and who accept it as their responsibility to implement it even if it is a lie, wrong, or bad, Turkey is groaning under the trap of unstoppable, un-lowered inflation, interest rates, and poverty, and is in great distress.

We are giving the highest interest rate in the world: 46 percent. I mean, in a country where 46 percent interest is announced with a process put forward by ignoring all the principles and tenets of the economy, people cannot borrow with costs reaching 60 percent, and if they want to borrow, they cannot find a bank to find a loan. In such a Turkey under such distress, we are here today. I ask: Dozens, hundreds, thousands of letters come to me. There are industrialists, tradesmen inside... I read, I listen to those who come and go. I listen to all the issues outside daily with their reports, economic analyses, and breakdowns. The industrialist cannot produce in this country, the farmer in agriculture cannot produce. No one can produce. Under great distress. And especially in a country that breaks records with bankruptcies and concordat declarations, 1 million 50 thousand people cannot pay their credit cards with foreclosure in just 5 months. Turkey is drowning in a policy that boasts that the state gives them money with interest, saying ‘You can pay in 35-40 months.’ This growing crisis, the crisis that escalates as it grows to the extreme, especially the injustice in income distribution within our nation, the unrest at home, the increase in the cost of living, while the people's income is dragging on the ground, and the minimum wage is below the hunger line, what are we dealing with today? So what is all this for?

We are in another struggle here today against a mind that can do anything for its political future and ambition, and will make this nation pay every price without blinking. Whereas defined unemployment has reached 32 percent...

This is the essence of the indictment, my dear Judge, believe me. It has no other essence. If an indictment was written in 20 seconds anyway, this is the essence. Please, I want to come here. Please, I beg you. There is an Ekrem İmamoğlu under great isolation.

There is no such isolation in the history of the Republic of Turkey. There is an Ekrem İmamoğlu who is silenced, not allowed to speak, whose photograph is feared, and even whose passport photo is feared.

And we are here upon a complaint by the prosecutor's office that made that decision. But this is the essence of Turkey. 32 percent... Unemployment corresponding to 11 million. 11 million people. Do you know what the unemployment of 11 million people means? These people cannot look their child in the face when they go home. They cannot look their daughter, their son in the face. In this respect, I am telling you very important issues. Please listen to these with your heart.

Why are you answering me because I am looking at you, Mr. Prosecutor? I look at whoever I want. Can such a thing be? What kind of prejudice is this? Can a prosecutor be so prejudiced? Is it forbidden for me to look, my dear Judge? My dear Judge, is it forbidden to look? Is it forbidden to look at you, my dear Member? Is it forbidden to look? I am asking. Please, would you answer, my dear Judge? Is it forbidden to look at Mr. Prosecutor? I will decide whether he is being tried or not, my dear Judge. Is it forbidden to look? My dear Judge, I am asking as a judge. Is it forbidden for me to look at Mr. Prosecutor? Is it forbidden for me to look at you? My dear Judge, is it forbidden to look? If it is forbidden, I will not look. If it is forbidden, I will not look, my dear Member, if it is forbidden, I will not look. I will continue my statements. I only beg for one answer. My dear Judge. If it is forbidden for me to look at Mr. Prosecutor, I will really not look, I will only look at you... Well, I got my answer. I am not curious about looking.

Now 11 million people are unemployed and these people cannot bring bread to their children. Just as they cannot bring bread to their children, those unemployed children, young people, our daughters, our sons cannot build a home. Where they cannot build a home, real injustice, real threat, and real insult; that is where it is. Whether you are the judge's son, daughter; whether you are the prosecutor's daughter, son; whether you are the daughter, son of everyone here... The real threat, insult is here. Therefore, look for the threat and insult here. Of course, let us clearly note the answer to this question here: Oh our nation; either justice or misery! Do not forget this. Either justice or misery. There is no other way. If there is justice, there is abundance. Because of whose ambition and stubbornness are we experiencing all these negativities, this suffering? Ekrem İmamoğlu is here today against a mind that deliberately impoverishes our country and unfortunately, in just 4 months, has made a coup attempt against this nation for its own whim, because it is afraid, because it is afraid of Ekrem İmamoğlu's courage, and has expressed and put forward all kinds of indictments and all kinds of issues.

As I stated at the beginning; we are in a truly difficult period. We are entering the second century of our Republic. And everything in the world is being displaced. All the stones are being displaced. We have to determine a consistent roadmap regarding international relations. There is a necessity to carry the foreign relations that this nation has put forward for centuries, its reputable relations with the world, to a more noble, stronger level. It will solve the security problem, and it will solve the prosperity problem. But it will solve it internally, in a way that has defined and fulfilled all its legal norms, so that you can be a reputable country against the outside. Let us be a reputable country so that our nation can be at peace. Let our nation not go and be a ‘visa beggar’ at the doors of consulates, of countries from just yesterday. This is what you call reputation. But today, we are again facing a position that threatens the children of our nation and lowers the children of our nation to a level where they will be insulted. What is that? Give-and-take relationship. Foreign relations through the concept of ‘my friend’... This cannot be, this cannot be. This country is truly heading towards these difficult days. We have to fulfill the requirements of Turkey's global conjuncture. It is our obligation to fulfill the moves that will catch this century in a real sense for our nation, for our 86 million people. This is the threat, this is the insult. It is all the existing problems that put our nation in a difficult situation that put us in trouble.

My dear friends, my dear Judge and his delegation, our people listening to us here, I say to our citizens who will read this voice of ours with writing tomorrow; our current Turkey is going through difficult days. We are at a difficult junction. One of your important agendas is ‘Terror-Free Turkey,’ which has been on Turkey's agenda since October 2024. This issue, described as ‘Terror-Free Turkey,’ is truly very important for us. Especially since our Chairman is also here... It is clear that the political understanding I belong to and my party are always against wars, terror, and those who feed on terror. And it is a historical fact. We are the permanent guardians of the principle of ‘Peace at home, peace in the world’ and we will continue to be so. Of course, while rejecting terror, which costs our country and nation dearly, costs the lives of thousands of our citizens, and causes the martyrdom of our heroic army, our security and gendarmerie personnel, and public officials, we have also defended civil and peaceful politics in every moment of our political struggle. Our history is full of steps we have taken for the strengthening of a civil form and especially peaceful politics, not terror, so that all our citizens, Turkish and Kurdish, can live a democratic, fair, prosperous, and free life.

We would naturally be an actor and protector of every initiative that will contribute to the strengthening of peace and tranquility in Turkey. However, we do not refrain from questioning the sincerity of those who take a stand against the nation whenever their seat is in danger, and from being the insurance of our nation's gains. This is not our stance as the main opposition or as Turkey's leading party, but our responsibility that comes from being the founding party of the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, especially for the sake of our future as a nation, in the implementation of this process that we desire to be carried out as a nation, the government, which has been implementing a policy of chaos, crisis, and oppression in Turkey for years, dividing our nation, not avoiding hate speech, and acting according to its periodic interests, can neither leave us out of the process with cheap politics, nor will we allow them to exploit the feelings of our nation.

We will stand against those who have an understanding of managing this process with arrogance, by excluding, and by polarizing especially for their political benefit, in a way that is not sincere. And we will always fulfill our sincere, sensitive call regarding the management of Turkey in a transparent, inclusive, and unifying attitude and stance with the whole of Turkey. And we will continue to give our strongest struggle to announce this to our nation.

We are at a point where we believe that when we achieve this by establishing a strong, democratic state order, with an inclusive, embracing, togetherness, and equal citizenship principle that does not deviate from the line of law and justice in this process, we will also shine like a pole star in the Middle East and bring a strong peace to our entire near geography. I would also like to underline the biggest sabotage carried out against this process within our country. This sabotage is the end, the finality of the process that resulted in our trial within this campus established in Silivri, where we are held captive, along with the policy of intimidation through imprisonment of the main opposition's elected mayors, politicians, honest bureaucrats, and presidential candidate. But they will never be successful in this. I would like to express, especially, that I want to make a call from this courtroom, where we seek justice and will fight for justice in this country to the end, to the Nationalist Movement Party and the DEM Party, who started the process against this mind that caused Turkey to drift into a very deep political, legal, and economic crisis. And I address them and say, separate yourselves from the mind that sees this process as an opportunity for their own future. Or, with a historical responsibility, you must take serious steps to ensure that the process is carried out in a transparent, participatory, and embracing manner, in a way that all sensitivities are taken into account, on a correct ground for all of Turkey.

Let me especially say here: The steps taken at this historical junction of the country, carried out under the roof of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, also this call... Our Chairman is here. They did this at a very high level. I also expressed that I stand behind this call and that it should be. Of course, here, the representation of political parties with correct procedures, support with egalitarian, pluralistic methods, and moving forward with methods such as qualified majority in many matters must definitely be done. Look; it must definitely be known that for this process to reach success, it is a necessity to abandon unlawful practices, practices that even violate the current constitution, and trustees for the historical steps to reach a conclusion. Otherwise, it is unfortunately not possible for this process to reach success. In this respect, politics should not seek a future here. When I say ‘here,’ I also want to underline this. I want to underline that this is a court, that it is a courtroom, that there should be no political interference here, that political interference should end, and that people who are under the trap of political interference and who face this process in this way will find the treatment they deserve under this roof of justice, and that they will be held accountable when the right time comes.

Of course, I would like to express this: Today, against the mind that looks at even the most serious issue in our country, even the most important issue, by thinking about their political future, the election of tomorrow, and saying, ‘How can I win that election? What kind of divisiveness can I get out of this,’ we are in a struggle again today, as we were yesterday. Again, the mind that confuses this environment today, polarizes people, and tries to divide them by saying, ‘You cannot come, let that one come, let that one not come,’ is the mind, this understanding, that threatens the children of this country, the children of this nation, whether they are the judge's child, the prosecutor's child, the children of the lawyers present here, or the 86 million, and corners them, and insults them, let me underline that. In this respect, politics should think together and work together on the problems of the country, with all its channels flowing from all acquisitions. This is the window we look through.

In this respect, our greatest desire is to ensure complete social legitimacy, where a mechanism where a democratic, pluralistic participation process works together with a common mind, from the strategy to be implemented to the path to be followed, makes the decision.

What falls to us is to build a life of brotherhood, freedom, and dignity in these lands. Even if this path is difficult, our faith is full. Our will is solid. This country belongs to all of us. It belongs to the children of our 86 million citizens. Let everyone know and hear from here that this country belongs to our 86 million people with equal shareholding. How beautifully Nazım said;

Coming at a gallop from Far Asia,

Stretching like a mare's head to the Mediterranean

This country is ours.

Let the hand gates close,

May they never open again.

Destroy the servitude of man to man,

This invitation is ours.

To live like a tree, single and free

And like a forest, in brotherhood,

This longing is ours.

The day we move away from the mind that does not want the people of this country to live together, with furrowed brows, sullen faces, and dividing the nation in every speech, there will be peace on the face of this nation, relief in its heart, hope for the future in the bosoms of people... And you will see, this nation will achieve this. Let them block as much as they want. Let them try to silence our voice as much as they want. Let them file lawsuits against us from night to morning. Our courage is full. We have not eaten anyone's rights. Thank God, we have not let our rights be eaten, and we will not let them be. Today, I am making the defense of this at the highest level, the most intense level.

Threat and insult are exactly what those who act against this inflict on our nation. It is the darkening of the tomorrows and futures of the children of the nation. I have fought, I am fighting, and I will continue to fight against the abuse of the judiciary, the law, and the powers of the judiciary, and their being made an apparatus for politics. I am not one of those who think about the next election. I am one of those who think about future generations and I will continue to think. I will continue to think about every child of this nation who is not here, and I will never give up on that. Let everyone know this. In that respect, I declare again: I continue my path as a soldier in the struggle against those who do evil and the evil ones. I am standing tall. My courage is at the ceiling. I am aware that I have my youth. I am also aware that my path is long. May God clear our path. May God protect our nation from the evil ones.

I am saddened by those who slander me and by the fact that people gathered here today, and in a truly sad way, are experiencing the third session of a court trial over an indictment in 10-20 seconds. I mean, I am saddened and ashamed by the establishment of a campus in Silivri, its kidnapping from Çağlayan, and its movement here. I am deeply saddened that the judge, his delegation, and other responsible persons and officials who came here are kept busy with such an occupation. And I always declare our freedom and that we will remain free. May God truly protect our nation from the evil ones and evils. I hope that with the hope that you will make the most correct decision here, I also thank you for allowing me to make this statement on the merits today.

The concept of “last word” is, of course, not a suitable concept for me. We are never at the place where words end. Let me express this: As a person who is truly under judicial harassment, I would like to underline that I am facing an intense attack. I express with sadness; it must be underlined that being here today and being tried in an environment where a court is established like a nomad, in a way that has been transferred to Silivri, instead of under the main roof of the court, is also a part of the isolation. There is the ‘fool case’ and a sentence of 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days in prison and a political ban was given. It has been waiting in the appellate court in a way that is now approaching three years. A tender in Beylikdüzü was revived five years after the tender, despite the decisions of the Council of State. Turkey is facing a prosecutor who has not given an opinion five times, in a way that has not happened in the history of the judiciary. I am in a situation where I am facing a different practice of a prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office is nowhere to be found. Here, too, the prosecutor's office used its right if it had the right to answer while I was making my own defense. If it doesn't have the right, I want an answer from you, from the supreme judiciary on this matter.

I will come to the threat and targeting case later. The expert case... I cannot even call it a billion... I will tell you something important about the court. I will leave a historical note. These things happen to me. You are a member of the supreme Turkish judiciary. You are in an important position. I mean, I am leaning my back on you right now. There is no other place. Therefore, if I am leaning my back on you, then you need to know these. Maybe you are not following the media. Maybe you will not want to appear in the media. That is why hear these. Hear them from me. The expert court, the lawsuit filed against the expert, with a probability that is not even one in trillions, the gentleman whose name is Satılmış, who fell into the file about me many times, I complained about him to the nation. Because my complaints did not find a response in the judiciary. A criminal case was filed against me, a political ban case was filed. The diploma case... The transaction from 35 years ago, the diploma from 31 years ago, without any error or issue in this country, was canceled with a fabricated decision, with the forcing of the prosecutor's office, without having the authority, by forcing. In parentheses, it says ‘It can be used in the YSK.’ You can only use it in the YSK when you are a presidential candidate, not anywhere else. And from here, my canceled diploma... They were not satisfied, a court was also opened in the high criminal court. A court was opened in the high criminal court for 8 years and 9 months, and the people who were in the same file as me regarding this court were separated. It was opened only regarding me. There is a hurry. There is a hurry. How is this hurry? Can a person be in such a trap? What are we going to trust, I mean?

And arrests, trustees, etc... Our President Ahmet Özer received an evacuation decision from here on Monday. Ahmet Özer, on October 30, an operation was organized to his house due to the decision he received for evacuation and he was arrested. Months later, another court gave an arrest warrant against him due to an additional arrest. This professor of this country, who is 65 years old, has been in prison for 9 months. Why? Just a year ago, a year and a half ago, two years ago, everyone who did not vote for him was a ‘terrorist.’ Now we have come to another phase. Now we will talk about something else! There is no such thing! No. I have always said; 86 million people are patriots for me. In this respect, I do not want to say ‘alas for the country, alas.’ And I do not desire for this court to be added to this sequence. I do not want it. This is my request as Ekrem İmamoğlu. I want my brother Mehmet Çalık to return to his home. Why is this person in prison? Why is he being dragged? From here to Izmir, from Izmir to Istanbul, forensic medicine... Enough. Enough. This business is heading towards murder. This is not a trial. I do not want this place to be added to this sequence, my dear Judge. Women prisoners like Fatoş, Elif, Kadriye, like Mehmet Çalık... What is it? Drivers from their children... Let no one look at us by stretching, looking at our heads and eyes hard. I do not care about those looks. It comes and goes. These days come and go. Every decision follows itself. Very clear.

Yesterday was July 15. We commemorate our martyrs with mercy and gratitude. Why did those people die? Why did those people die? Why did those people die? Why was that coup organized? My Chairman was not given the right to speak in the Parliament. I wanted to have a mawlid read four days after July 15. The Mufti said, ‘You cannot read it.’ He said, ‘You cannot have it read’ in the mosque. I said, ‘Why, Mr. Mufti?’ The District Governor says so. I called the District Governor. I said, ‘Mr. District Governor, why can't I have it read?’ He said, ‘Well, a lot of prayers were read. Enough,’ he said, ‘Why are you going to have it read?’ CHP's Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mufti and the district governor make a decision. Why? Because you cannot have a mawlid read in the mosque for the martyrs. I said, ‘Fine, I am going, I will read it myself in the evening.’ I went and had it read. Why am I saying this? These are important, my dear Judge. They are all related to each other. The subject we are talking about here is the threat and insult regarding me by the Chief Public Prosecutor.

In this paradise homeland, I am a threat to one person.

And that is not me, I do not threaten. The nation threatens. I defeated him four times at the ballot box, I am a threat because I will defeat him for the fifth time. That is why I am here today and there is no other reason for this. I am here for that. In that respect, let him continue to think like that. I will continue the struggle on behalf of my nation. My determination is at a level you cannot describe today. I have only one desire: May this court not enter the ‘alas for the country, alas’ sequence, the ranking. Thank you.

News Source: 12punto