Look what Ekrem İmamoğlu said to the judge when he was arrested in the espionage investigation! Merdan Yanardağ revealed...

Arrested on charges of "espionage," TELE 1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağdetailed what happened at the courthouse in a post on his social media account. Yanardağ stated, "As the judge was trying to leave, Ekrem İmamoğlu called out after him in a loud voice, saying, 'You think you are conducting a trial here; is this a courtroom now? You won't even look us in the face. Turkish judges are confident in their decisions and hold their heads high; where are you running to with your head bowed?'" he said.

Yanardağ noted that CHP's imprisoned presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, along with his campaign advisor Necati Özkan, were also arrested on the same day.

I would like to bring to the public's attention what we experienced on the day of our arrest, as it is newsworthy. In the morning hours, I was first taken for a medical examination and then brought to the courthouse in a convoy accompanied by escorts.
As far as I know, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mr. Necati Özkan were also...

— Merdan Yanardağ (@merdanyanardag) November 1, 2025

“THE COURTHOUSE WAS UNDER POLICE SIEGE”

Merdan Yanardağ described the events with the following statements:

“I would like to bring to the public's attention what we experienced on the day we were arrested, as it is newsworthy.

In the morning, I was first taken for a medical examination and then brought to the courthouse in a convoy accompanied by escorts. As far as I know, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mr. Necati Özkan were also brought to the courthouse in the same manner.

When we arrived at Çağlayan Square, I saw that the Istanbul Courthouse, located where the high school I graduated from once stood, was practically besieged by thousands of police officers. The same situation applied to the courthouse corridors.”

“I REMAINED IN DETENTION FOR FIVE HOURS”

Yanardağ also shared the following information regarding the prosecutor and judge interrogations:

"After staying in the detention cell for nearly 5 hours, I appeared before the prosecutor and gave my statement. Just as in the police interrogation, I rejected all accusations and claims typical of a setup during the prosecutor's interrogation as well. I was taken back down to the courthouse detention cell. Hours later, I appeared in court. I repeated my statements in court as well.

The same process was carried out for Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mr. Necati Özkan. Then, we were taken back down to the detention cell and began to wait."

"WE MET IMAMOĞLU IN THE CORRIDOR"

Yanardağ stated that they met Ekrem İmamoğlu face-to-face for the first time in the court they were brought to at midnight:

"Towards midnight, we were brought before the 12th Criminal Judgeship of Peace. I first saw Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mr. Necati Özkan there, waiting in the corridor in front of the courtroom. In fact, I noticed him when Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu called out, 'Get well soon, Mr. Merdan.' We chatted briefly while standing. I expressed the same wishes to him."

"THE JUDGE READ THE VERDICT WITHOUT LOOKING AT OUR FACES"

Yanardağ described the atmosphere in the courtroom with these words:

"We entered the courtroom about half an hour later. The same judge quickly entered the room, took his seat, and without looking at our faces, as if reading from a prepared text, stated that we were being arrested one by one. His explanation was a single sentence. Then he got up and tried to leave the room quickly. We, Necati Özkan, myself, and Ekrem İmamoğlu, stood side by side and listened to the decision."

"İMAMOĞLU REACTED LOUDLY"

Merdan Yanardağ described the reaction Ekrem İmamoğlu directed at the judge at the moment of the decision as follows:

"Just as the judge was trying to leave, Ekrem İmamoğlu called out after him in a loud voice, saying, 'You think you are conducting a trial here; is this a courtroom now? You won't even look at our faces. Turkish judges are confident in their decisions and hold their heads high; where are you running to with your head bowed?' Besides us, there were lawyers, police, gendarmes, and court staff in the room. If these events did not make the news, I want it to be known. Those who arrested us could not look us in the eye."

At that moment, it was 2:30 AM. Our arrival at Silivri took until six in the morning."

News Source: 12punto