Turkish prosecutor probes illegal recordings of Istanbul mayor trial

The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened a resex (self‑initiated) investigation under article 286 of the Turkish Penal Code against individuals who secretly recorded audio and video during the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) corruption hearing at the Marmara Penitentiary Campus in Silivri and subsequently shared the material on social media. The case, filed as 2026/208 before the 33rd Heavy Criminal Court, concerns alleged graft involving the municipal administration.

CHP Group Chairman Özgür Özel attended the same hearing and later issued a statement accusing the proceedings of being politically motivated. He noted that the number of detained defendants had fallen from over 100 to 53, asserted that mayoral candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu would soon begin his defence, and warned that the trial is being used to target the opposition and impede a change of power.