Court rejects İmamoğlu’s appeal against arrest

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has dismissed the appeals for release filed on behalf of several people, including Istanbul Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

İmamoğlu, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested late last month amid a sweeping corruption probe targeting high-level municipal officials.

Another group of municipal employees were also imprisoned under a separate investigation pertaining to alleged terror ties, although no arrest decision has been issued against İmamoğlu for this probe.

Lawyers earlier submitted petitions to the duty criminal court, challenging the legality of the arrests and requesting their clients’ release.

The court denied the requests on April 14.

Among those whose appeals were rejected is Murat Ongun, who was serving as the chairman of the media affiliate of the Istanbul Municipality.

İmamoğlu has been held at Marmara Prison in Istanbul’s Silivri district since March 23. Ongun was transferred to a different facility on April 13.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said on X that fourteen suspects held in Silivri were relocated to prisons in Tekirdağ and Kocaeli to “ensure the proper progress of the investigation and maintain institutional security.”

CHP criticized the transfers, calling them a violation of fair trial standards.

Tunç rejected the accusations, describing claims of restricted defense rights as “false” and part of an effort to “mislead the public.”