Developments in the IMM case: Measures against whistleblowers lifted

According to a document obtained by 12punto, a decision issued on July 17 in the IMM case—in which 402 defendants, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, are being tried on charges including "establishing a criminal organization," "bribery," "rigging bids," and "fraud against public interest"—lifted the freeze on the bank accounts of whistleblowers Ertan Yıldız and Adem Soytekin, while also lifting the judicial measure against AKP member Mehmet Şahin. 

Adem Soytekin, who was arrested on March 23, 2025, had become a whistleblower by providing an additional statement to the prosecutor's office four days after a trustee was appointed on June 12, 2025, to his company, ASİTAŞ, to which he had made large transfers and subsequently transferred to his wife, Hatice Soytekin. In accordance with the decision of the 33rd High Criminal Court, the decision to appoint a trustee to the ASİTAŞ company was lifted.

Some of the seized assets will be returned

The court accepted the request for the return of seized items, securities, checks, cash assets, and other materials belonging to defendant Mehmet Şahin. It was decided that a writ should be issued to the relevant institutions for the implementation of the decision.

Conversely, requests regarding mobile phones, gold, and other items held in custody belonging to some other defendants were postponed to be evaluated either with the final verdict or at later stages.

Management trustee in the company converted to audit trustee

One of the notable parts of the interim decision concerned ASİTAŞ Yapı Gayrimenkul Yatırım Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. The court lifted the management trustee measure on the company and decided to implement an audit trustee instead. Thus, the measure on the company's management was partially eased.

Decision on the objection regarding defense time limits

The objection filed by the defense attorneys of defendants Aykut Erdoğdu, Ramazan Gülten, Ulaş Yılmaz, and Yavuz Oğhan, on the grounds that defense time limits were shortened in the previous hearing, was also evaluated. The court ruled that there was no need to issue a decision on this matter, stating that the action in question pertained to hearing management and was not among the decisions subject to appeal.

Right to appeal remains open

While the court decided to notify the parties of the interim decision, it also ruled that the right to appeal before the Istanbul 1st High Criminal Court remains open within two weeks from the notification of the decision.

Report: Cenk BAŞBOĞAOĞLU