'Profane' argument in prison transport vehicle enters the record: Harsh reaction from İmamoğlu to Soytekin in IMM case

As the 29th hearing of the case concerning the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) continued in Silivri, defendant Adem Soytekin's defense continued for a second day. Tensions rose in the courtroom at times due to arguments between the parties during the hearing.

In her defense, Simge Büyük, one of Soytekin's lawyers, challenged the accusations against her client and brought up allegations of verbal harassment that reportedly occurred inside a prison transport vehicle last week. Büyük claimed that there were missing and contradictory points in the records regarding the incident in question.

While the defense arguments were ongoing, the court panel announced its interim decision. At this stage, lawyer Serkan Günel took the floor, stating that they had not encountered any element of threat in the records and criticized the trial process. Günel said, "It would have been more equitable if a portion of the one-and-a-half days allocated to Adem Soytekin had been reserved for the release requests of other defendants or for hearing the Cebeci incident."

ARGUMENT ERUPTS IN COURT

Speaking after being given the floor by the presiding judge, Adem Soytekin stated that he wanted to convey the events he claimed took place in the prison vehicle in softer language, saying, "I am softening the statements to avoid any hostility between families. Murat Kapki offered to make a film about this process, and I refused. However, while we were in the same vehicle on the way back to the prison in the evening, Kapki described the situation to those next to him in a mocking tone. Following this, Buğra Gökçe used insulting language directed at me."

Following these statements, Ekrem İmamoğlu took the floor to react to the allegations, stating, "These claims are very shameful; we are all being cast under suspicion. As someone who greets him every day, who has disrespected him?"

Murat Kapki, who was the target of the allegations, argued that Soytekin's statements did not reflect the truth. As the argument escalated, the presiding judge called for a recess.

ARGUMENT IN PRISON TRANSPORT VEHICLE REFLECTED IN RECORDS

An official report was filed regarding an argument that took place in a prison transport vehicle among defendants being transferred to prison after the hearing on the evening of April 21. According to the documents, sounds of a profane argument were heard from inside the vehicle while it was in motion.

Upon inspection by the vehicle commander, it was determined that Adem Soytekin was reacting to other detainees. It was noted that despite the other detainees explaining, "We are joking among ourselves, it has nothing to do with you," the argument continued.

According to the statements in the report, Soytekin said, "There is no joking about this; if we were outside, I would break your face," in response to words he believed were directed at him. It was stated that during the disembarkation from the vehicle, Murat Kapki tried to calm the situation by saying, "You misunderstood, Adem, that word was not directed at you, I apologize," but the argument persisted.

The statements reflected in the report indicate that Soytekin said, "How can there be a joke about the word 'son of a b...', whoever says that is a son of a b..., if we were outside, I would break the face of whoever said it," while Kapki repeated, "You misunderstood, Adem, that word was not directed at you, I apologize." It was recorded that at the end of the argument, Soytekin used profanities.