Politics
Istanbul mayor appears before court for ‘threatening’ prosecutor
Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, appeared before a Turkish court on Monday on charges of threatening the city’s public prosecutor.
Imamoğlu, 54, is on trial over remarks he allegedly made questioning the integrity of Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor, Akın Gürlek.
He faces charges of “threatening” and “insulting a public official” and “targeting” an individual involved in counterterror efforts, according to the prosecutors.
Monday’s hearing, which took place at Silivri prison on the western outskirts of Istanbul where Imamoğlu has been held since March, was very brief, with the judge adjourning the proceedings until July 16.
The prosecutor called for Imamoğlu to face up to seven years and four months behind bars, with a minimum jail term, and be subjected to a political ban.
Turkish media reported that Imamoğlu and his party Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel and other party members were also at the hearing.
At the first hearing that took place in Silivri on April 11, the former mayor denied all the allegations. Questioned by the prosecutor in January, he said he was simply exercising his right to free speech.
Last Thursday, Imamoğlu was also summoned to the first hearing in another case regarding remarks he made about a court-appointed expert witness involved in cases against municipalities run by his CHP, in which he is accused of attempting to influence a fair trial.
Imamoğlu, who was elected Istanbul mayor in 2019 and reelected in 2024, was arrested on March 19 in connection with a graft probe and allegations of terror ties.
Gürlek was behind a string of investigations into corruption at Istanbul’s district municipalities, as well as terrorism links of a mayor. The municipalities he investigated is run by CHP.
The government has dismissed accusations of political interference in the cases and says the judiciary is independent.
Imamoğlu, who is facing five separate investigations, is also accused of running a criminal organization that profited from rigged tenders and rampant bribery in exchange for building and zoning permits and awarding tenders through the Istanbul municipality.
Türkiye has stepped up measures to protect its airspace and land borders with the start of Israeli airstrikes in Iran, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
“At a time when diplomatic negotiations continue to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, Israel has once again jeopardized global and regional peace and attacked our neighbor Iran in violation of international law,” the ministry sources told reporters at a weekly press briefing in Ankara.
The sources said reports of Israeli jets violating Turkish airspace during the first day of the airstrikes on Iran are inaccurate, emphasizing that from the outset, all air movements were closely monitored.
Upon the possibility of a potential airspace violation by Israeli jets, alert aircraft took off and began air patrol missions within Turkish airspace, the sources added.
They stressed that with the start of Israel’s airstrikes, measures to protect “our airspace and borders have been intensified.”
The sources condemned Israel’s aggressive policies toward Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, which they warned were “disrupting the fragile balances in the region.”
Türkiye continues to call on Israel to “immediately abandon rhetoric and attacks that will further expand the course of the war,” the sources said.
Border security
They also said efforts to maintain Türkiye’s air and missile defense as a multilayered and comprehensive system are ongoing.
In addition to domestic radar and air defense systems, work continues to strengthen command and control capabilities. Measures are in place to ensure air defense units and weapon systems remain at the highest level of readiness, the sources added.
Stating that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are on duty 24/7 with top-level technology and personnel to secure Türkiye’s borders, the sources emphasized that there is no uncontrolled migration movement, that the claims are disinformation and that there is no data or official confirmation of any mass migration to the country.
Türkiye’s capacity to ensure border security and respond to potential humanitarian crises is maintained at the highest level in coordination with relevant state institutions, the ministry sources stressed.
“Türkiye acts in a controlled and orderly manner as a country that supports regional stability and fulfills its humanitarian responsibilities,” the sources added.
Also speaking to reporters, ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk confirmed there has been no rise in illegal border crossings following Israel-Iran clashes.
The Turkish Armed Forces will continue to take all necessary security measures proactively against possible migration movements, Akturk said.
He condemned Israel’s attacks on Iran and said Israel’s “aggression, which entirely negates international law, blatantly demonstrates its intention to further spread the conflict.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly warned of regional repercussions of Israel’s war with Iran and assured Ankara was engaged in diplomatic efforts to stop Israel’s attacks in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran.
All our institutions are on alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Türkiye,” Erdoğan assured Wednesday, speaking at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara.
It is entirely “natural, legitimate and lawful” for Iran to defend itself against Israel’s “banditry and state terrorism,” Erdoğan said.
On June 13, Israel launched large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across several cities, as well as high-ranking military command centers. At least 585 people were killed and 1,326 people were injured in Israeli airstrikes in Tehran and other populated areas. In retaliation, Iran’s military launched ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 24 people and wounding over 500, according to reports. Numerous countries, including Türkiye, have condemned Israel’s actions.
Since a new round of the Palestine-Israel conflict erupted in 2023, Türkiye has been on alert, and Erdoğan had warned that Israel may set its sights on Türkiye in the future, citing the Netanyahu administration’s expansionist goals. Over time, Israel has launched attacks in Lebanon and Syria and hurled veiled threats toward Türkiye, calling on Ankara not to side with Palestinians.
A Turkish court on Thursday acquitted a group of youths who assaulted U.S. servicemen late last year in the western Izmir province, while one of them was fined TL 10,000 ($252) for “bodily harm.”
Fifteen members of the Turkish Youth Union (TGB), an anti-American group linked to a political party, attacked two American servicemen, part of the crew of USS Wasp, an American amphibious assault ship docked in Izmir on Sept. 1, 2024. The incident was captured on camera by the TGB, which is known for similar attacks on U.S. soldiers in the past.
The servicemen had been in civilian clothes, and five other U.S. soldiers nearby tried to intervene in the incident. Security forces stopped the assailants, and the suspects were all detained and charged with “depriving a person of their freedom by coercion, threat or trickery.” All were tried without serving jail time.
At the final hearing on Thursday, the suspects’ lawyer Bülent Karagöz argued the incident was “not meant to deprive a person of their freedom but a protest.”
“They used their institutional rights to protest. It was not an illegal demonstration or a meeting,” he told the court.
Fourteen suspects were acquitted of the charges while TGB Chair Kayahan Çetin was handed a monetary fine, but the final ruling was adjourned.
The TGB claimed the video with a video on its X account in which several people are seen forcing a bag over the head of a person dressed in civilian clothes as the attackers chant: “Yankee go home!” in English. “American soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot defile our country,” the TGB said.
The bag over the head referred to an incident from the 2003 Iraq war when U.S. forces in northern Iraq arrested a group of Turkish soldiers, forced hoods over their heads and held them for three days. The incident outraged many in Türkiye.
The TGB is affiliated with the Patriotic Party (VP), a fringe party known for its staunch opposition to U.S.-Turkish ties and advocates stronger bonds with Russia and China.
Türkiye-U.S. relations have been tumultuous at times, but the two countries remain steadfast NATO allies. Yet, a recent international survey by U.S.-based think tank Pew Research Center showed that favorable opinion of the U.S. around the world was lowest in Türkiye, along with Tunisia.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is courting Muharrem Ince, a former member who once challenged President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in presidential elections. CHP leader Özgür Özel visited the Homeland Party (MP) headquarters on Wednesday and openly invited the party’s chair, Ince, to “return home.” Ince was a four-term CHP lawmaker before he was nominated as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2018 elections.
Ince told Özel that he would consider the invitation and discuss it with his party’s administrative board.
Although he parted ways with the CHP in 2021 after he failed to trigger an intraparty election to topple former CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the veteran politician appeared supportive of the party at times, especially after the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu last March on charges of corruption. Ince also sided with the CHP in opposing the arrest as Özel, claiming it was a “politically motivated” act to imprison Imamoğlu, the future presidential candidate of the party. Nevertheless, Ince hinted that his support would not last long and suggested “a third way” was possible in Turkish politics outside the CHP and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) without openly promoting his party.
The MP has one of the lowest followings in the Turkish political landscape, scoring only 0.17% of the vote in last year’s municipal elections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will one day face justice, Ambassador Egemen Bağış said Wednesday at a regional peace forum in Tirana, slamming the Israeli leader for exploiting his power to deflect from his own legal troubles.
Speaking during a panel at the “From Knowledge to Action” forum in Albania’s capital, Bağış criticized Israel’s ongoing attacks on Palestinians and said the time had come to reject Netanyahu’s actions.
“…we all have a problem with how Netanyahu abuses his authority to escape prosecution and extend his political career. It’s time to say ‘no’ — and I have no doubt we will see the day he is judged,” Bağış said.
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to the war in Gaza and the October 2023 incursion that spurred Israel’s genocidal offensive.
In their decision to grant the warrants, the ICC judges said there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant were criminally responsible for starvation in Gaza and the persecution of Palestinians.
Addressing Türkiye-Greece relations, Bağış acknowledged political differences but emphasized solidarity in times of crisis. “We may have disagreements, but when it matters most, we are the first to help each other,” he said.
He also highlighted the growing role of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in combating xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia.
“In today’s world of wars, I can’t hear the voice of peace,” Bağış said, calling for renewed global efforts to protect human dignity and cooperation.
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said on Thursday that they sought to upgrade their status in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) from observer to full member, “so we can upgrade relations between our people too.”
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) suffers from a lack of international recognition, whereas Greek Cypriots in the divided island enjoy worldwide support. The OTS is an essential venue for the country to reclaim its international rights, as it comprises countries sharing Turkic heritage.
Cyprus has been mired for decades in a dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement. Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983. It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece and the U.K.
Üstel said they endeavored to help the TRNC adapt to the world and reiterated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s three subsequent calls to the U.N. General Assembly for recognition of the country. He noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has also made calls for their recognition. Erdoğan helped the TRNC to obtain observer member status in the OTS.
The prime minister underlined that commercial and tourism relations between the OTS and the TRNC should be enhanced.
“Our people should truly come together. We hope to reinforce our relations. We can convert our strong historical bonds into synergy,” he told Anadolu Agency (AA).
He noted that Turkic states faced external pressure against recognizing the TRNC, but he was assured they would not bow down. “Nobody can force us to bow down to their demands if we remain united. We want them to stand up for the TRNC. It is not a mere diplomatic matter. It is the restoration of justice, ensuring the nation’s right to self-determination. This is a historic responsibility for the Turkic world,” he said.
Some member countries of the OTS announced at the summit they held with the EU on April 4 that they would abide by U.N. Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550, which condemned the establishment of the TRNC and called on states not to recognize it. Those countries later decided to open embassies in the Greek Cypriot administration.
TRNC President Ersin Tatar recently said: “Turkic states should be a little more careful about their relations with the Greek side. They may have relations with the EU. The EU is a union, but it is not under the sovereignty of the Greeks, whose population is 800,000. Turkic states can also establish relations with the Greeks, but they should be careful because the game played by the Greek Cypriot administration is completely different.”
Fear of losing loved ones trumps fear of death for Iranians abroad. Dozens of worried Iranians huddled in the shade of an Istanbul bus shelter Tuesday, waiting for a bus to take them back home despite an intensifying air war between Iran and Israel.
Flights to Iran were suspended on Friday after Israel launched a devastating attack on Tehran’s nuclear facilities, sparking a deadly confrontation which is now in its sixth day.
Although many have fled the Israeli bombardments of Tehran, other Iranians have been stranded abroad and are trying to get home to their loved ones, despite the ongoing airstrikes.
“I want to look after my parents, they’re afraid,” said Babak Alpor, 34, who flew from Tehran to Istanbul to visit his brother who is studying in Türkiye’s largest city.
Horrified by the images of the bombings, Alpor decided to cut short his trip and go home to his parents, despite his mother begging him to stay with his brother.
But with all flights canceled, he was forced to find another way home, a one-way bus trip back to the Iranian capital that will take 38 hours and cost him 5,000 Turkish lira ($127). “I’m not scared, but of course I’m sad. Nobody likes war,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Next to him, a group of women were talking quietly in Farsi. “They’re saying they are afraid and don’t want to go back,” he explained.
Türkiye is a popular destination for tourists from neighboring Iran, with 460,000 of them visiting in the first two months of the year, official figures show.
Elsewhere, an Iranian student hugged her mother and younger sister goodbye as they boarded the bus for Tehran, the anxiety plain on her face as it pulled away. Her mother was afraid but decided to go back to be with another daughter who was stuck in Tehran and very frightened, explained the physiotherapy student, who did not want to give her name. “My other sister who stayed in Iran is just crying and crying,” she said.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Tehran’s nearly 10 million residents to leave “immediately,” his words echoing warnings from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Despite the warnings, some travelers were trying to put on a brave face. “It will be over soon, I think it will last a maximum of two or three weeks,” said Fahim, an Iranian tourist in his forties who was visiting Istanbul with his wife and two little girls. Although they will pass through Tehran, their bus journey of 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) will end in Sari, a town five hours northeast of the capital. “Where we live, everything is OK,” he said in a show of confidence aimed at reassuring his young family. “Peace is coming.”
In Kapıköy, a border crossing in the eastern Turkish province of Van, a relative quiet dominated on Tuesday after the past few days saw a flurry of new arrivals and those hastily departing Türkiye for Iran. Some did not cancel their short visits to Türkiye for vacation, while almost all interviewed by the media say they have no intention to take shelter in Türkiye amid the conflict.
Sanam, an Iranian woman who did not give her last name, told Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on Wednesday that she had accompanied her mother to Tabriz on a flight from Istanbul. The return flight of the Istanbul resident was canceled due to the conflict, forcing her to take the land route. “Things are fine for us in Iran for now. The state is doing everything to protect its citizens. I would stay in my country if my husband did not have to work in Istanbul,” she said. Sanam says Iranians are accustomed to such situations. “The elderly people remind us of eight years of war with Iraq and urge us to calm down,” she said.
Soleyman Dalla said he is a frequent visitor to Türkiye and will travel to the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. “Iran is fine, people are not scared,” he said as he crossed into Türkiye through Kapıköy.
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