Call to NATO leaders from Europe regarding İmamoğlu: 'The world will be watching Ankara this week. It should also watch Silivri'

Eurocities, which represents hundreds of democratic local governments in Europe, the Pact of Free Cities, and the B40 Balkan Cities Network have issued a joint statement regarding the judicial process against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu.

In the statement dated July 6, concerns were raised regarding İmamoğlu's right to a fair trial and defense ahead of the hearings scheduled for July 6-9.

ATTENTION DRAWN TO THE JULY 2 HEARING

The joint statement recalled that İmamoğlu has been imprisoned for more than 15 months without a conviction since March 19, 2025. While it was noted that the European Court of Human Rights has prioritized the application regarding the legality of his detention, it was stated that, despite this, İmamoğlu was required to appear in three separate courts on the same day, and the main trial is expected to be concluded by July 9.

The statement also included developments from the hearing held on July 2. It was noted that after İmamoğlu and his lawyers stated that an effective defense was not possible, İmamoğlu was removed from the courtroom by the gendarmerie, and lawyers and members of parliament were also denied entry, with the statement adding, "A trial where the main defendant cannot be heard and their lawyers cannot perform their duties is not a trial in any real sense."

Emphasizing that the right to defense is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights, the statement demanded that Turkey provide sufficient time and facilities for İmamoğlu and other defendants to prepare their defenses, ensure access for lawyers, journalists, and independent observers to the hearings in Silivri, and end the practice of prolonged detention.

CALL TO NATO LEADERS

The joint statement also included a call to the heads of state and government present in Ankara for the NATO Summit. While requesting that concerns regarding the İmamoğlu case be raised directly with the Turkish government, the statement said, "An alliance built on democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law cannot view the erosion of these values in a member country as an internal matter."

The statement, which also called on diplomatic missions and international organizations to monitor the Silivri hearings on July 6-9 through independent observers, concluded with the words, "The world will be watching Ankara this week. It should also watch Silivri."

FULL TEXT OF THE JOINT STATEMENT

The full text of the joint statement issued by Eurocities, the Pact of Free Cities, and the B40 Balkan Cities Network is as follows:

"Regarding the Right to a Fair Trial and the Right to Defense in the Case Filed Against Istanbul's Elected Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, July 6, 2026

As networks representing hundreds of democratically elected municipal administrations in Europe and the United States, we express our serious concerns regarding the conduct of the criminal proceedings against Istanbul's elected Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, ahead of the hearings scheduled for July 6–9, 2026.

Mayor İmamoğlu has been imprisoned for more than fifteen months since March 19, 2025, without a conviction. His application regarding the legality of his detention has been accepted as a priority by the European Court of Human Rights. Now, while facing the extraordinary demand of appearing in three separate courts on a single day, such as July 6, the court hearing the main case has set an unexplained deadline of July 9 to conclude the trial; this suddenly shortens the defense time for a person being tried on 142 separate charges in a case with over 400 defendants and an indictment of approximately 4,000 pages.

The events of July 2 are a dangerous turning point. When the Mayor and his lawyer objected, arguing that a proper defense had become impossible, he was removed from his own hearing by the gendarmerie. Lawyers and members of parliament were removed from the courtroom. The lead defense attorney has been imprisoned for over a year due to actions stemming from the ordinary practice of his profession. A hearing where the main defendant's voice cannot be heard and their lawyers cannot perform their duties is not a hearing in any meaningful sense.

The right to defense is not a procedural formality. This right is the foundation of the rule of law protected by Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is a party. The erosion of this right in Istanbul concerns every city and every citizen in our shared democratic space. Local democracy — the right of citizens to elect their mayors and see them govern rather than be governed from a prison cell — is a shared European value we are obligated to defend.

Therefore, we demand the following from the Turkish authorities:

Defense Time and Facilities: Providing İmamoğlu and all defendants with sufficient time and facilities to prepare and present their defenses, and lifting the arbitrary deadline set for July 9;

Right of Access: Restoring full access for defense lawyers, elected representatives, journalists, and observers to the hearings in Silivri;

Ending Detention: Ending the prolonged detention of Mayor İmamoğlu, his lawyer, and other defendants, in accordance with Turkey's obligations under Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention.

We call on the Heads of State and Government gathered in Ankara for the NATO Summit to convey these concerns directly to the Turkish government. An alliance built on democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law should not view the erosion of these values in a member country as an internal matter. Strategic importance cannot replace democratic legitimacy.

We call on diplomatic missions and international institutions to ensure the presence of independent trial observers in Silivri on July 6, 7, 8, and 9.

The world will be watching Ankara this week. It should also watch Silivri."