Day 26 of the IMM Case: Lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan begins his defense

Pehlivan, who was brought to the hearing held in the Marmara No. 1 courtroom from the prison where he is being held, challenged the legal status attributed to him by the court at the beginning of his defense. Reminding the court that he has been detained in a high-security prison for approximately 10 months, Pehlivan stated the following:

"I do not accept the defendant status that your court has assigned to me. I am here as Mr. İmamoğlu’s lawyer. I want to explain, document, and prove the practices directed at the people in this courtroom through the person of my client."

“MY LEGAL PRACTICE WAS TARGETED”

In his defense, Pehlivan argued that the process leading to his arrest was directly linked to his professional practice and claimed that the trial has a political dimension. Recalling the words he uttered during his interrogation on June 19, 2025, "I will not learn how to practice law from the prosecutor's office," Pehlivan continued his defense as follows:

 "Taking on the representation of Ekrem İmamoğlu was a conscious choice. When I accepted this power of attorney, I knew that the judicial siege and attempts at political bans against him had begun. I foresaw that what has been done since October 2024 were attacks aimed at removing my client from the political equation. I was aware that I would be targeted because I was conducting good legal work. The reward for my efforts was being declared a 'specially qualified organization member' and being arrested. The real reason we are here is the political power's effort to legally and politically eliminate Mr. İmamoğlu, whom they view as an adversary."

"THE DEFENSE WILL NOT BE SILENCED" SLOGAN FROM HIS COLLEAGUES

As he was brought into the courtroom, Mehmet Pehlivan received support from his colleagues following the hearing. Lawyers chanted "The defense has not been silenced, it will not be silenced" as Pehlivan entered the room.

News Source: 12punto