Istanbul mayor İmamoğlu condemns alleged torture in İBB trial

During the 55th hearing of the Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi (İBB) trial, which involves 59 detained defendants and 414 suspects, Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu addressed the court about the alleged kidnapping and severe torture of Kültür AŞ deputy director Erhan Karaal. İmamoğlu said Karaal was subjected to extreme abuse, including being deprived of water for about 36 hours, having his nails ripped out, and being pressured with questions about large sums of money and gold. He warned that media outlets were fueling a climate of intimidation and that families of the accused were also threatened.

In a separate defence on the trial’s 54th day, detained defendant Güldem Şık testified that she holds no official position, authority, or signature within the İBB or its subsidiaries, rejecting accusations that she facilitated municipal contracts or misappropriated funds. Şık, a former banking executive, described her career and insisted she had no role in any alleged wrongdoing, emphasizing that no evidence linked her to the alleged crimes.