The trial of Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his post as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and arrested, continued with a request for imprisonment from 2 years, 6 months to 8 years and 9 months, on the charge of ‘forgery of official documents’, alleging that his bachelor’s degree was fake. The defendant Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was detained for another crime, was present at the hearing held by the Istanbul 59th Criminal Court of First Instance in the hall of the Marmara Prison campus in Silivri. While the defendant’s lawyers also attended the hearing, CHP Group Chairman Özgür Özel, Dilek İmamoğlu, Selim İmamoğlu and some MPs also came as spectators.

The Public Prosecutor, whose opinion was asked at the hearing after İmamoğlu’s defense, requested that the Istanbul 5th Administrative Court be asked whether the file was finalized or not.

Announcing its interim decision, the court ruled to write to the Istanbul 5th Administrative Court and inform them whether the decision to reject the countersuit filed by İmamoğlu has become final. The hearing was postponed to 25 December.

The trial will continue tomorrow in the case filed alleging irregularities in Ankara Metropolitan Municipality’s concert expenses in the 2021-2024 period. The defendants and their lawyers are expected to be present at the hearing to be held at Ankara 34th High Criminal Court.

RELEASE ORDER WAS MADE FOR 3 DEFENDANTS

At the previous hearing, it was decided to re-release the defendants Hacı Ali Bozkurt, Onur Evren and Selahattin Çelikkaya, who were arrested again upon the objection of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office after their previous release. After hearing the witnesses, the court ruled that the defendants be released on condition of judicial control.

WITNESS STATEMENTS DRAWN ATTENTION

The witness heard in the last hearing, Osman Cem Taşbaş, claimed that the decision-making mechanism regarding concert purchases was carried out through ABB Private Secretary Nevzat Uzunoğlu, and that the final decisions were made by presenting them to Mansur Yavaş. Taşbaş also claimed that he conveyed his objections to the management regarding the high costs of the concert. Witness Fulya Koçak, on the other hand, said that there were widespread rumors within the institution that the concert costs were high, that some staff were hesitant to sign the documents for this reason, and also told the court about her allegations regarding the Rolex brand bag that she stated that she saw in Hacı Ali Bozkurt’s room.

THE TRIAL WILL CONTINUE

Other witnesses heard through SEGBİS shared with the court committee what they knew about the tender processes and concert organizations. It is expected that new witnesses will be heard and the evidence in the file will be evaluated at the hearing tomorrow.

BREAKING NEWS… The continuation of detention of former Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality President Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from office for corruption and bribery crimes, was requested in the espionage file. Following the arrest of Hüseyin Gün, who was a defendant in the case, on charges of espionage on July 4, 2025, and his statements using the effective remorse law, the investigation was expanded by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to include Ekrem İmamoğlu and other defendants.

DIGITAL MATERIALS OF HÜSEYİN GÜN WERE EXAMINED

Ekrem İmamoğlu, his political advisor Necati Özkan and TELE 1 founder Merdan Yanardağ were arrested last year due to the evidence collected within the scope of the investigation and the digital materials examined by Hüseyin Gün, who was arrested for espionage, for cooperating in the 2019 local election campaign and leaking confidential information about voters. SABAH compiled the developments in the espionage case so far.

REQUEST FOR PRISON FROM 15 TO 20 YEARS

İmamoğlu, Gün, Özkan and Yanardağ were listed as “suspects” in the indictment prepared as a result of the investigation. In the indictment, the suspects were asked to be imprisoned from 15 to 20 years for the crime of “political or military espionage”. The indictment included the report made to the 112 Emergency Call Center by Ümit Deniz Alaçam, the real son of Seher Alaçam, whom Hüseyin Gün, who lost his life suspiciously and whose lifeless body was found in the site pool, described as his ‘spiritual mother’. In Özoğul’s report, it was stated that the suspect Gün said that he was engaged in espionage activities on behalf of Israel, England and the United States, and that his meetings were carried out over encrypted phones in order to comply with confidentiality.

AK Party General Secretary Eyyüp Kadir İnan used the following statements in his post on his social media account:

“WE DID NOT PUT ANY ACCOUNTS BEFORE Türkiye’S INTERESTS”

“Our nation has trusted us in every election for 25 years and has always chosen the AK Party.

Today, we are witnessing one of the strongest results of the struggle we have been carrying out with determination for a quarter of a century and the trust our nation has placed in us.

We kept our nation’s reputation and our country’s interests above all else; We did not put any other consideration before Türkiye’s interests.

We have never forgotten how sacred the nation we represent is and the sphere of influence of this great country that we have the responsibility of governing.

“IN OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY, THE WORDS WE SAY ON A GLOBAL SCALE CONTINUE TO GET STRONGER”

On the 25th anniversary of the establishment of our AK Party, our country is hosting one of the most important summits of NATO. In our 25th year, the words we say on a global scale continue to grow stronger.

AK Party; With the democratic reforms it has carried out, the works and services it has implemented, and its vision extending from the defense industry to diplomacy, it has made Türkiye a country that is at play in its region and whose words are listened to carefully in the world.

The fact that our country is hosting one of NATO’s most important summits today is the natural result of the strong foreign policy, trustworthy leadership and stable management approach that has been built with determination for 25 years.

Unfortunately, some people thought it was a skill to complain about Türkiye in foreign newspaper columns, but they were wrong again. Those who try to denigrate their own country in the pages of the Financial Times will not understand this great march rising with the will of the nation, nor the strategic power that Türkiye has achieved.

Our reference is not the anti-Turkey statements made by a failed politician or a so-called leader to the foreign press; “The support of our beloved nation, the strong leadership put forward by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the goals of the Türkiye Century.”

In his post on his social media account, Minister Gürlek reacted to the words of European Parliament (EP) Turkey Rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor regarding the Turkish judiciary. Emphasizing that the Republic of Türkiye is an independent, sovereign and democratic state of law, Gürlek reminded that judicial power is exercised by independent and impartial courts on behalf of the Turkish nation.

“IT IS AN UNACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE”

Gürlek pointed out that the monitoring of judicial processes in Türkiye by international circles is an indicator of the country’s democratic maturity and transparency, and said, “On the other hand, making judgment-like statements about ongoing trials at the courthouse is an unacceptable attitude that targets the Turkish judiciary and tries to put judicial processes under political pressure.” made his assessment. Gürlek underlined that Türkiye’s judicial processes proceed according to the Constitution, laws, evidence in the file and the discretion of independent courts, not according to the political agendas, ideological expectations or lobbying activities of foreign parliamentarians, and said:

“NO ONE CAN WALK A FINGER AT TURKISH COURTS”

“I am stating clearly here that no one can point their finger at the Turkish courts, try to influence the ongoing trials, put pressure on the Turkish judiciary or intervene in the internal affairs of our country. Under the leadership of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has come to this day by protecting its national will against tutelage centers, coup enthusiasts, terrorist organizations and circles trying to teach democracy lessons from outside. Turkey is a great country with the power to enforce its own law, the will to protect its democracy and the sovereignty to determine its future. “We will not allow any political agenda that targets our national will, our judicial organization and our rule of law.”

The Republic of Türkiye is an independent, sovereign and democratic state of law. Judicial power is exercised by independent and impartial courts on behalf of the Turkish nation. The fact that the judicial processes in our country are followed by international circles is a sign of Türkiye’s democratic maturity and transparency.

— Akın Gürlek (@abakingurlek) July 6, 2026

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy welcomed the leaders who visited Türkiye within the scope of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit held in Ankara, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at Esenboğa Airport.

Minister Ersoy welcomed North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who visited Türkiye for the summit, at Esenboğa Airport.

Sharing the welcome on his social media account, Minister Ersoy said, “Esenboğa welcomed the President of North Macedonia, Ms. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the Prime Minister of Estonia, Ms. Kristen Michal, and the President of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, who visited our country within the scope of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit held in Ankara, hosted by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.” “We met him at the airport.” he said.

Pointing out the importance of the summit, Ersoy said, “I hope that the summit will further strengthen the cooperation and common security understanding between our allies.” made his assessment.

At the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit held in Ankara, the steps taken within the scope of increasing defense investments and the Alliance’s work in the field of deterrence and defense will be evaluated from a 360-degree perspective. Leaders will also exchange views at a strategic level on threats, risks and challenges to the Euro-Atlantic geography; He will discuss the latest situation in Ukraine and current developments in the south of the Alliance.