Statement from İmamoğlu's lawyer Pehlivan: He reacted to the investigation process

As reactions continue regarding the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his team, İmamoğlu's lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan has issued a statement.

Pehlivan stated that unlawful actions were taken during the investigation process, adding, "The right to a fair trial has been violated." he said.

In a statement on his social media account, Mehmet Pehlivan expressed that after İmamoğlu's testimony, an unsigned version of the statement was leaked to the press before lawyers could even access the file. Stating that this situation violates the confidentiality of the investigation, Pehlivan remarked, "In this way, the public learned the facts more quickly."

"THE SECRET WITNESS PRACTICE WAS ABUSED"

Pehlivan stated that the secret witness practice was abused during the investigation process and alleged that witness testimonies were presented out of context. "Secret witness testimonies were selected and served under a single narrative. Furthermore, audio recordings alleged to have been recorded unlawfully and HTS data presented in a complex manner clearly show that this investigation carries political motives rather than legal ones." he said.

Stating that the defense team is having difficulty accessing information due to restrictions on the file, Pehlivan expressed that media outlets close to the government are distorting the details of the investigation.

"THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE HAS BEEN IGNORED"

Pehlivan recalled that the term "leader of a criminal organization" was used in the press statement by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, emphasizing that this violates İmamoğlu's presumption of innocence.

Furthermore, stating that irrelevant documents were added to the investigation file to create the impression that a wide-ranging probe is being conducted, Pehlivan said, "Even tenders whose legality has been approved by the Court of Accounts and the Council of State have been made the subject of accusations."

"THIS PROCESS IS A SUSPENSION OF THE RULE OF LAW"

Emphasizing once again that there are unlawful practices in the investigation process, Pehlivan said, "This investigation is a violation of the right to a fair trial. This violation is the prevention of access to justice by the judiciary itself, contrary to the Constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the dismantling of the rule of law." he used the expressions.

Finally, Pehlivan concluded his remarks by saying, "This investigation, which is being conducted through detentions without legal basis, baseless allegations, manipulated statements from secret witnesses, and irrelevant audio recordings, has no legal foundation."