Breaking News... He had decided not to attend: New statement from İmamoğlu minutes before the expert witness trial!

The expert witness trial concerning CHP's presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is currently detained at Silivri Prison, will be held today at 10:30 AM in the courtroom at Silivri Prison.

İmamoğlu and his lawyers announced yesterday evening (June 11) that they had decided not to attend the trial to be held in the courtroom at Silivri Prison on the grounds that "the venue for the hearing was determined unlawfully in terms of both location and timing." 

Half an hour before the hearing was set to begin, a new statement came from İmamoğlu.

Stating that he and his lawyers were informed at the last minute that the venue for the trial had been changed, İmamoğlu said, "You are even afraid of us defending ourselves. I do not accept these arbitrary practices of yours that obstruct our right to defense."

Emphasizing once again that he would not attend the hearing, İmamoğlu stated, "I trust the independent Turkish judiciary and its members to the end, but I refuse to be a part of this planned process."

The full text of İmamoğlu's statement is as follows:

"You are filing lawsuits over the very breath we take. The prosecutor of every case is the same, the expert witness is the same, the lawlessness is the same.

And as if that were not enough, you change the venue where the trial will be held one day before and inform me and my lawyers at the last minute. You are even afraid of us defending ourselves. I do not accept these arbitrary practices of yours that obstruct our right to defense. Today's hearing is irregular and does not comply with the principles of judicial proceedings. I refuse to be a part of such a process, and for this reason, I will not attend this hearing. I trust the independent Turkish judiciary and its members to the end, but I refuse to be a part of this planned process."

News Source: 12punto