Ekrem İmamoğlu expelled from Istanbul courtroom after heated exchange

During the 64th hearing of the "Ekrem İmamoğlu Çıkar Amaçlı Suç Örgütü" case at Istanbul’s 40th Heavy Penal Court, tension escalated between the mayor and the presiding judge. İmamoğlu said, "Ben iddianameyi yapanları da yargılayacağım" (I will also prosecute those who drafted the indictment). The court president responded, "Sen buraya yargılanmaya geldin, burası senin yargılayacağın yer değil" (You are here to be tried, not to judge) and ordered him out of the courtroom.

İmamoğlu complained that he had insufficient time for his defence and accused the court of violating his rights, while the judge emphasized adherence to the trial schedule, warned against unnecessary delays, and stated that if İmamoğlu refused to speak, his silence would be recorded as a waiver of the right to defence.