CHP's proposal for 'IMM trial to be broadcast on TRT' rejected: 'Insincerity is knee-deep'

The application drew attention to the announcement of bans on certain protests and activities around the prison less than 48 hours before the trial began. In this context, it stated: 'It is not an unforeseeable situation that the trial, which has been referred to as 'historic' from the first day due to the demand for up to 2,352 years in prison for Ekrem İmamoğlu across 142 separate acts, would attract intense interest. Furthermore, the fact that the trial was moved to a facility with insufficient capacity established at Silivri Prison, instead of being held in the courtroom at the Çağlayan Courthouse, has legitimized the view that the principles of fair trial and transparency were violated from the outset and that an attempt is being made to hide it from the public.' 

The application recalled that the legislative proposal prepared by the CHP on the matter was first submitted on May 9, 2025, and noted that the proposal had been pending in the committee for 9 months. Emphasizing that a motion to bring the matter directly to the General Assembly agenda on December 2, 2025, was also rejected by AKP and MHP votes, the application recalled the words of MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli: 'The trial should be broadcast live on all television channels, primarily TRT. The Turkish nation must see and learn everything that is happening,' as well as the support from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who said, 'It is a very good appreciation, it will be beneficial.' 

ATTENTION DRAWN TO PUBLIC INTEREST

Finally, the application noted that Akın Gürlek, who prepared the IMM trial indictment while serving as Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor, pointed to the TBMM as the decision-making authority for live broadcasting after taking office as Minister of Justice. It stated: 'In order to end debates over whether a fair trial is being conducted, to prevent potential tensions, and to contribute to the protection of public order, it is of great importance that the public be able to learn directly and completely about the allegations made against all public officials, especially Ekrem İmamoğlu, and the defenses made against these allegations. In this framework, we submit and propose the opening of a General Debate to evaluate, in terms of public interest, the live broadcasting of all subsequent hearings of the IMM trial, which has begun at the Marmara Penal Execution Institution in Silivri, by TRT.' 

'INSINCERITY IS KNEE-DEEP'

The proposal was discussed in the General Assembly. CHP Karaman Deputy İsmail Atakan Ünver, who took the podium to explain the rationale for the proposal, said: 'There is no doubt that the trial of İmamoğlu, whom the nation elected mayor three times, decided to nominate with a turnout of 15 million, and whom they see as a hope for salvation, concerns the society. Let the hearings be broadcast live on TRT; let the citizens see and hear the allegations and the responses firsthand without intermediaries. What is the reason for you to avoid this?' Recalling that the CHP's proposal on December 2 was rejected despite the rhetoric of Bahçeli and Erdoğan, Ünver reacted: 'The motion was rejected. Everyone is supposedly in favor of transparency, but the insincerity is knee-deep. Even if their words say otherwise, when it comes to voting, the hands raised say no. It seems the indictment and evidence, which were called solid, are not that solid after all. Even the person who wrote the indictment does not trust it. Not broadcasting the hearing live is actually aimed at protecting the defendants. However, at the point we have reached today, it is not the broadcasting, but the failure to broadcast that has begun to damage the personal rights of the defendants.' 

'IF YOU HAD SAID YES THEN, IT WOULD BE BROADCAST LIVE NOW'

Later, the Yeni Yol group and IYI Party representatives took the podium and stated that although they supported the live broadcast proposal, they approached it with skepticism. The DEM Party stated that it supported the proposal. AKP Afyonkarahisar Deputy Ali Özkaya argued: 'There are thousands of mayors, elected deputies, mukhtars, etc. How are we going to broadcast everyone's trial on TRT?' Following Özkaya, MHP Group Deputy Chair Erkan Akçay spoke from his seat, saying: 'As the MHP group, we stand by our view. But this CHP group proposal is a request for the matter to be discussed by establishing an inquiry commission. Even if this is accepted, it will not ensure that it is broadcast on TRT.' Upon these remarks, CHP Group Deputy Chair Gökhan Günaydın took the floor and said: 'We submitted this proposal on May 9, 2025. Then, with Bahçeli's words, we brought it here on December 2. The MHP voted no. If you had said yes then, it would have turned into a legislative proposal. It would have been broadcast on TRT. There is no possibility of bringing it here again. Unfortunately, parliamentary regulations do not allow for this. We will test whether the MHP will leave the words Bahçeli used a few days ago, 'Were we wrong when we said so?', on the ground. If they stand by their words, let them vote yes here. Otherwise, there is no point in saying 'it won't be broadcast anyway'.' 

'ONE SHOULD AT LEAST FEEL SOME SHAME'

Taking the floor afterward, AKP Group Deputy Chair Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu defended the rejection, stating, "Why are you asking for privileges? No one has any privileges. The procedure applied to everyone is also valid in this case. There is no special situation that would require going beyond this." In response to Akbaşoğlu, CHP's Günaydın said, "You have reassigned more or less 11 judges because of the İmamoğlu cases. You are shamelessly trying to defend this. One should at least feel some shame. There were ministers here who talked about bribery with watches; what did you do? What did you do to those people who took bribes in shoeboxes, who quoted a verse every Friday as they put it, and whom you later appointed as ambassadors? What we expect from you is courage; raise your hands for the trial to be broadcast live on TRT. Secondly, bring the ballot box early, and we will show you your place." The proposal was rejected by the votes of the AKP and MHP.

News Source: 12punto