Arrest warrant issued for Ekrem İmamoğlu

CHP's imprisoned presidential candidate and Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem İmamoğlu was brought to the Istanbul Courthouse to give his statement to the prosecutor as part of an 'espionage' investigation. İmamoğlu, who was brought to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan at 10:55, began his statement proceedings after waiting for approximately 5 hours.

CHP'S ÖZEL CAME TO THE COURTHOUSE TO SUPPORT İMAMOĞLU

The process from the moment İmamoğlu entered the courthouse was followed by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel. Özel came to the courthouse to support İmamoğlu and received information about the process together with party members.

İMAMOĞLU LEFT PRISON AFTER 7 MONTHS

Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 and arrested on March 23, after which he was sent to Marmara Prison in Silivri. Today, he was taken out for the first time after 7 months and referred to the courthouse.

INTENSE SECURITY MEASURES IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE

Security measures were increased in front of the courthouse on the day İmamoğlu was to give his statement. While CHP deputies kept watch around the courthouse since the night before, citizens gathered around Çağlayan Square despite the protest ban issued in 4 districts to support İmamoğlu.

İMAMOĞLU'S FAMILY WAS ALSO AT THE COURTHOUSE

Ekrem İmamoğlu's wife, Dilek İmamoğlu, came to the courthouse to closely follow the statement process. In addition, IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan and numerous CHP party members were present at the Çağlayan Courthouse.

İMAMOĞLU'S STATEMENT

The prosecutor asked İmamoğlu whether he knew Hüseyin Gün, Merdan Yanardağ, Necati Özkan, and Melih Geçek, and if so, in what way, for what reason, and where he knew them from, and whether there was any commercial relationship between him and the aforementioned individuals.

In his response to this question, İmamoğlu stated the following:

"I know Merdan YANARDAĞ, one of the individuals under investigation along with me within the scope of the file, because he is a journalist. As far as I remember, I visited him three or four times at the television channel where he hosted a program. Again, I have known the person named Melih GEÇEK, one of the suspects in the file, for approximately 12 years. He has held positions within the Republican People's Party in the past. I know that he is experienced in information technology. As far as I remember, he was most recently serving as General Manager at the ISTECOM subsidiary. The person named Necati ÖZKAN is the person who managed my political campaigns and also served as my advisor during the 2014, 2019, and 2024 local elections in which I participated. I have known him for approximately 12 years. He did not have an official position within the IMM. I do not remember knowing the person named Hüseyin GÜN, who is the other person you asked about and who is a suspect in the file. Even after I learned that an investigation had been launched against him within the scope of this investigation, and after my lawyers showed me the photograph of me with this person and a woman who was with him that appeared in the media, I could not recall the person named Hüseyin GÜN, but I remembered the visit in question. As far as I remember, this visit was a congratulatory visit after I was elected as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 2019. However, although I remember the visit, I do not remember the name of the woman in the photo, but I only remember that this woman was well-dressed and had an almost motherly approach. Apart from this anecdote I remember, as I stated, I do not know the person named Hüseyin GÜN."

The prosecutor asked İmamoğlu about the messaging program called "WİCKR ME". In his response, İmamoğlu stated the following:

"I heard about the messaging program called WİCKR ME for the first time. Therefore, I have never had a membership in this program before. I do not know whether I am the person referred to in the correspondence made in the form of “Mr Mayor, İmamoğlu, President, Mr. President, Ekrem President” between Necati ÖZKAN, who you claim is the user named BLUESTAR81, and the person you claim is Hüseyin GÜN, the user named JUPİTER1881, in the findings you mentioned. But I guess I might be the person referred to by the name Ekrem İmamoğlu, but I have no connection with these correspondences; I have no knowledge whatsoever about the correspondences that are claimed to have been made in my name in this way. I am not interested in this matter either. I do not know what is meant by the phrase '150 thousand-person digital army' that you asked about in the correspondences. But I guess the Istanbul volunteers might have been meant, but as I stated before, I have no knowledge regarding all the correspondences you read."

ARREST WARRANT

Following the statements in court, an arrest warrant was issued for İmamoğlu, Özkan, and Yanardağ.

Following the arrest request, İmamoğlu posted a video on the "Presidential Candidate Office" account opened for his candidacy efforts, with the note, "These days will pass..."

News Source: 12punto