Sharp reaction from AKP's Hamza Dağ to İmamoğlu! 'An example of irresponsibility'

AKP Deputy Chairman Hamza Dağ responded to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu via his social media account.

Dağ stated, "It is an unacceptable example of irresponsibility for an expert witness, who should remain impartial and independent during the judicial process, to be thrown before the public by the İBB Mayor and made a part of political score-settling. This attitude has both damaged the impartiality of justice and clearly revealed an attempt to exert pressure on the judiciary. Normalizing lawlessness through scripted questions at a press conference, followed by a journalist secretly recording the targeted expert witness and serving it to the public, is not only a violation of journalistic professional principles but also a complete act of lawlessness. The fact that 'fondaş' (funded) media outlets defend such unethical methods by serving political agendas has become an indicator of a dirty system," he said.

It is an unacceptable example of irresponsibility for an expert witness, who should remain impartial and independent during the judicial process, to be thrown before the public by the İBB Mayor and made a part of political score-settling. This attitude has both damaged the impartiality of justice and clearly revealed an attempt to exert pressure on the judiciary… pic.twitter.com/5lOeO952GE

— HAMZA DAĞ (@avhamzadag) January 27, 2025

'THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE THE JUDICIARY'

"Those who fear being held accountable before the law have made it their way to put the justice mechanism under pressure," said Dağ, adding the following:

"No one will be able to escape justice through targeting, secret plans, and media manipulation; despite all kinds of perception management and manipulation, justice will be served. Everyone who is a part of this dirty system will be held accountable before the judiciary."

WHAT DID İMAMOĞLU SAY?

İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu made statements regarding the investigations in Saraçhane today.

Stating that a lawsuit was filed against him due to a tender during his time as the Mayor of Beylikdüzü, Ekrem İmamoğlu said that the expert witness "presented a non-existent report to the court as if it existed."

Naming the expert witness, İmamoğlu said, "There are people behind him whom he trusts very much. A new expert report has arrived. He is reckless enough to talk about a report that does not exist."

Following these remarks by İmamoğlu, an investigation was launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on the grounds of "attempting to influence an expert witness."