Ekrem İmamoğlu in court for the Akın Gürlek case: Tension erupts between İmamoğlu and the prosecutor!

CHP presidential candidate and IBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been detained in Silivri Prison since March 23, was put on trial for 'targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism', 'insult', and 'threats' due to his remarks about Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek and his family.

The justification for the lawsuit was Imamoglu's statement: "We will rip out the mind that governs you from the consciousness of this nation, just to save even your own children from these treatments. We will rip it out so that no one shows up at your children's door."

The first hearing of the case was held on April 11, and the second on June 16, in the courtroom at Silivri Prison. In the June 16 hearing, the prosecutor reiterated his opinion, requesting a prison sentence of 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months for Imamoglu, along with a political ban.

The final hearing of the case is currently underway.

CHP leader Özgür Özel, CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik, IBB Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, CHP Deputy Chairs Gül Çiftçi, Aylin Nazlıaka, and Suat Özçağdaş, CHP Group Deputy Chair Gökhan Günaydın, CHP İstanbul MP Ali Gökçek, CHP Diyarbakır MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, CHP PM Member Berkay Gezgin, CHP district mayors, Dilek and Selim İmamoğlu, Union of Turkish Bar Associations President Erinç Sağkan, and Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu attended.

Imamoglu's detained lawyer was unable to attend the hearing.

Reminding the court that he was unjustly detained, lawyer Pehlivan stated that he had prepared for weeks for this hearing but could not present a defense due to his detention; Pehlivan had issued a call to his colleagues, bar associations, and legal organizations.

Pehlivan had said, "On July 16, tomorrow, be in Silivri. If you are there, I am there too."

While a new photograph of Ekrem İmamoğlu entering the hall was shared days later, chants of "President Imamoglu" were heard as he entered the courtroom, and he was given a standing ovation.

IMAMOGLU'S DEFENSE

As reported by Can Ozturk from T24, Imamoglu began his defense by saying, "My speech will be as short as life," and continued as follows:

"I did not actually make a statement against the prosecutor's opinion; I only shared my comments about that day with you. If you deem it appropriate, I will speak. Life is short anyway. My speech will be as short as life. The reason we are here is not limited to words that could be said on a panel. We cannot even be tried in the court that we should be in at this turning point for Turkey. Everything is developing extraordinarily. In my speech where I expressed my feelings at the last hearing, I ended my words by saying, 'The internal front needs to be strengthened,' as the government also puts it, in the face of the risks surrounding us. 'There is no other way.' I must say that I am disappointed that things are moving in the opposite direction while I was expecting positive results less than a month after these words of mine.

New indictments are emerging in a rush and with panic. They are taking action against me because of a procedure I performed regarding an 18-year-old Ekrem. I asked what you would do if he were 17. They say, 'We would have called your guardian.' I don't know if they are telling the truth.

We are losing 12 martyrs. We cannot even question how we lost our martyrs. Those who talk big as if nothing is happening are silent. We are in a vice where we have reached the level of not being able to ensure justice even in a high school entrance exam (LGS).

Following the operations in March, we entered a period where we are in great economic distress. We know that countries that have a strong legal order, apply the rule of law, and raise the generations of tomorrow will win. However, we are suffering from what a person who manages by saying 'I am an economist' with made-up strategies has caused. We are paying the highest interest rate in the world, 46 percent. We are here in a country where costs reach 60 percent. The industrialist and the farmer in this country cannot produce. We are in a country that breaks records with concordat declarations. What are we dealing with in a country where this growing crisis, especially the injustice in income distribution among our people, leaves the minimum wage below the hunger threshold?"

THE PRESIDING JUDGE INTERRUPTED IMAMOGLU'S WORDS

The presiding judge interrupted Imamoglu's remarks about the economy. Imamoglu said, "I am finishing, allow me. Everything is related to these anyway. If an indictment is written every 20 seconds, this is what it is all about."

TENSION BETWEEN THE PROSECUTOR AND IMAMOGLU

The prosecutor reacted to Imamoglu, saying, "Do not look at me while you speak." The prosecutor raised his voice at Imamoglu. Imamoglu reacted to the presiding judge, saying, "Is it forbidden to look at the prosecutor while speaking? I am not curious about looking at him either."

"THIS PROCESS, DEFINED AS A TERROR-FREE TURKEY, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US"

Following the tension, Imamoglu continued his defense with these words:

"Let us note this question here; either justice or misery. If there is no justice, there is famine, there is misery. We are here because of the operations carried out against Imamoglu within 4 months. Let our nation not wait at the gates of countries established just yesterday for visas. This is reputation. It is our duty to fulfill Turkey's global conjuncture. The future is also ours. I am addressing those who will read this voice of ours along with the text; we are going through difficult days. This process, defined as a terror-free Turkey, is very important for us. We will continue the principle of 'peace at home, peace in the world'.

Our history is full of steps we have taken to strengthen peaceful politics. However, we never refrain from questioning the sincerity of those who take a stand against the nation whenever their seat is in danger. We will bring peace to the region, which will shine like a pole star in the Middle East."

HE ADDRESSED MHP AND DEM PARTY

I am addressing the MHP and the DEM Party. Separate yourselves from the mindset that sees this process for their own future. You must take serious steps to ensure that the process is transparent, participatory, and embracing. Steps must be taken for qualified pluralism. To conclude historical steps, one must move away from extra-legal practices and trustees. Politics should not seek a future here. This is a courtroom, and I want to emphasize that politics should not influence this place.

Our greatest desire is for this process to proceed with democratic and common sense. This country belongs to all of us. How beautifully Nazım Hikmet said...

Coming at a gallop from Far Asia

Stretching out to the Mediterranean like the head of a mare

this country is ours.

Wrists in blood, teeth clenched, feet bare

and soil resembling a silk carpet,

this hell, this heaven is ours.

Let the gates of others 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...

"I AM FIGHTING AGAINST THE JUDICIARY BEING MADE AN APPARATUS FOR POLITICS"

This nation will achieve this. Let them try to silence our voice as much as they want. We have not eaten anyone's rights, and we will not let our rights be eaten. Today, I am making the most intense of my defenses. I have fought, I am fighting, and I will continue to fight against the judiciary being made an apparatus for politics. I am standing tall in the fight against those who do evil and the wicked, and I am also aware of my youth."

To Imamoglu, who said, "May God protect our nation from evils," the audience responded by saying "Amen."

Reaction from lawyer Ilkiz to Imamoglu being interrupted: I decide who I will look at while speaking

Imamoglu's lawyer Fikret İlkiz reacted to the prosecutor and the presiding judge interrupting Imamoglu and began his defense with these words:

"I want to see your panel and I want to make a defense addressing you. Furthermore, I decide who I will address and who I will look at while making the defense. I request that there be no interruptions while the defendant is making his defense. If we encounter any response in any way, I will also make my warning.

The tape transcripts of Imamoglu's relevant speeches are being recorded in the minutes incompletely. He said, 'I cannot stomach the indictment against me.' He also asked you why he came from the dungeon. He also mentioned this; 'We are not being tried, we are being punished directly.' It is not possible to make a defense without mentioning these. Why am I repeating these over and over? I am returning to the case, the indictment, the OdaTV broadcasts. One of the prosecutors is watching OdaTV. A situation that only appears on OdaTV is being processed into the indictment."

REACTION TO HIS LAWYER'S DETENTION

You extracted 3 crimes from a few lines; you said they were insult, targeting individuals who took part in counter-terrorism, and threats. Ekrem İmamoğlu said a few things regarding the detention of CHP Youth Branch President Cem Aydin. 'You raid the homes of people who come when they are called. You treat them like this. You do whatever you can. We will rip out this mentality.' He went to the prosecutor's office with his lawyers, including lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan. He was thrown inside before he could sign the document I gave you. If it had happened, he would have signed the written defense I gave you."