Judicial interrogation concluded: Decision awaited for İmamoğlu, who faces arrest request!

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was referred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan after being detained as part of an investigation conducted into the IMM.

İmamoğlu and 90 people accompanying him were brought to the courthouse in a convoy of 14 minibuses from the Vatan Police Headquarters. While extensive security measures were taken around the courthouse, there was intense activity during the transfer process.

WHO WAS DETAINED AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION?

Among those detained along with Ekrem İmamoğlu are names such as Medya A.Ş. Chairman of the Board Murat Ongun, IMM Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık. A total of 34 prosecutors were assigned to take statements.

İMAMOĞLU’S STATEMENT PROCESS

At 21:40, İmamoğlu’s statement to the prosecutor’s office regarding the “City Reconciliation” investigation began and lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Subsequently, as of 23:40, he gave a second statement regarding corruption allegations.

REFERRED TO COURT WITH ARREST REQUEST

In the statement made by the prosecutor’s office, it was stated that Ekrem İmamoğlu was referred to the magistrate judge with a request for his arrest on charges of “establishing a criminal organization, rigging bids, and bribery.” Furthermore, it was stated that Resul Emrah Şahan, Mahir Polat, and Mehmet Ali Çalışkan were also referred to court along with İmamoğlu on charges of “aiding an armed terrorist organization.”

COURT PROCESS HAS BEGUN

The interrogation of İmamoğlu, who was referred to the duty magistrate judge, has begun.

It was learned that İmamoğlu’s identity verification has been completed.

Meanwhile, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, and İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek and son Selim İmamoğlu came to the courthouse again from the IMM building in Saraçhane.

Making statements to members of the press, Özel said that they would remain at the courthouse until the process is concluded.

Stating that they would follow the court proceedings, Özel said, "His family will follow the court proceedings. I will follow the court proceedings on behalf of the party. There was a restriction on that matter. By holding the necessary meetings regarding that restriction, an agreement was reached for the chairman to follow it on behalf of the party and for his family to follow it in this way. Our friends will wait here, ready."

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yavaş said, "If there is justice, we expect them to be released immediately."

Özel, Yavaş, and İmamoğlu’s family passed through the police barriers and entered the courtroom.

İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu, some CHP deputies, and party officials continue to wait on the floor of the magistrate court.

DECISION AWAITED FOR İMAMOĞLU

İmamoğlu’s interrogation at the magistrate court has ended. The arrest of 92 people, including İmamoğlu, is requested in two separate investigations.

It was learned that the duty Magistrate Judge will announce the decision after the interrogations of other individuals are completed.

STATEMENT FROM ÖZGÜR ÖZEL AND DİLEK İMAMOĞLU

Leaving the courtroom, CHP leader Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek İmamoğlu invited citizens to the ballot box for the primary election.

Dilek İmamoğlu "I am going to cast my vote for the primary election. Elect the President, make history" said.

Özgür Özel said, "There are about 2.5 hours left until the decision is announced. There are other statements that have not been finished. Now Ms. Dilek is going to cast her vote, and I am going to Saraçhane. We will come back again."

REACTION FROM LAWYERS: “INFORMATION LEAKED TO THE MEDIA”

İmamoğlu’s lawyers reacted to the fact that the prosecutor’s referral document was served to the media before them. The lawyers expressed their objections to the process, saying, “This is a disgrace. While we are waiting here, we learn about our client’s situation from the press first.”

CHP figures evaluated the arrest request regarding İmamoğlu.

Here are those statements:

CHP DEPUTY CHAIRMAN GÜL ÇİFTÇİ

They are resorting to such a path without such a procedure in the criminal procedure code; we learn about the decisions through the press. We are at a point where the legal system in our country is a stick, a tool.

The decision to refer for arrest is also such a decision...

We are in the fourth act of the operation carried out on our municipalities...

After this, an interrogation will take place and we will see what the decision is. This is a fiction and they are making Turkey live through it! I am very sad for my country; they canceled Mr. İmamoğlu’s diploma, but with this decision, all [people] in the country

CHP GROUP DEPUTY CHAIRMAN MURAT EMİR

It is a decision that should not have happened because when we examine the alleged crimes, we saw that they are extremely baseless and unfounded accusations; questions were asked that do not even deserve an answer. However, we later learned that the prosecutor’s office referred him to the magistrate court with a request for arrest for both crimes he is accused of. It is a disappointing development for us...

At this stage, it is almost impossible for a fair decision to be made... We are not against the trial, which we have been saying from the beginning, of course, but we are saying that people cannot be convicted with such accusations even with a trial that is not independent. One must think very carefully before putting this person in prison.

We know that the intention here is to appoint a trustee to the municipality; it is a political investigation started by instruction from the beginning, he wanted to be eliminated from the Presidential race. We know that they want to seize the rent of Istanbul.

They could not find any evidence other than a few secret witnesses. We think that one should wait for the decision of the magistrate court.

News Source: 12punto