Istanbul Municipality Deputy Secretary Gürkan Akgün Defends Actions in Imamoğlu Trial

The 57th hearing of the case popularly dubbed the “Imamoğlu organized‑crime” trial was held at Istanbul's 40th Heavy Penal Court, opposite the Marmara Closed Prison. The trial involves 414 defendants, 59 of whom are detained.

Gürkan Akgün, Deputy Secretary‑General of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and a city planner, presented his defense. He said he has never faced a disciplinary sanction, outlined his career starting in 2012 at Beylikdüzü Municipality, and described his successive roles under Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, including planning bureau chief, head of the Urban Development Department and later Deputy Secretary‑General.

Akgün rejected accusations that he received money for approving building silhouettes, insisting that all decisions were made according to legal regulations and public‑interest criteria, with expert commissions overseeing heritage and aesthetic considerations. The court postponed the hearing to 29 June to allow further continuation of the defendants' legal arguments. The proceedings will continue in subsequent sessions.