The imprisoned Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), Ekrem İmamoğlu, stated in his article published in Gazete Pencere that Turkey is "undergoing one of the most challenging democracy tests in its history."

In his article, İmamoğlu characterised the judicial process as a political intervention, describing the events as "a madness with a pre-written script."

Stating that "The final curtain of this madness with a pre-written script, this attempt to eliminate the will of the people through legal means, opens on Monday," İmamoğlu reacted against the imprisonment of himself and his colleagues.

İmamoğlu noted that families were also targeted during this process and used the following expressions:

“The imprisonment of myself and my colleagues, their separation from their families, the threatening of mothers with their children, and various tortures carried out with political ambition have already gone down in the pages of history as a document of shame. Beneath this shame lie the signatures of today’s government, which suffers from anxiety over its seats, and the so-called men of law used to eliminate that anxiety.”

Impartiality of the judiciary is disputed

In his article, İmamoğlu also touched upon the 2017 system change, mentioning that the independence of the judiciary has been undermined.

Stating that all members of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) are determined by the ruling alliance, İmamoğlu expressed that impartiality cannot be expected from the judiciary under these conditions.

“This case is a test of democracy”

Stating that the trial starting in Silivri on 9 March is not merely a criminal case, İmamoğlu made the following assessment:

“This case is one of the toughest tests for Turkish democracy. Both my colleagues and I know, with peace of mind, that we will not enter this test alone. We feel 86 million people by our side, in our hearts.” İmamoğlu concluded his article with the words, “The time has come, it is near, and together we shall succeed.”

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Timeline of Proceedings: The İBB Case (2020–2026)

2020 – 2024: The Background and "Diploma Controversy"

• February 2020: The first formal complaint is filed regarding the validity of İmamoğlu's undergraduate degree from Istanbul University, alleging an irregular transfer from Girne American University in 1990.

• 2024: After a new complaint, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) initiates an investigation.

Early 2025: Escalation and Arrest

• 22 February 2025: The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office officially launches an investigation into "official document forgery" concerning İmamoğlu's diploma.

• 18 March 2025: Istanbul University Senate cancels the diplomas of 28 individuals, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, citing "irregular transfers." This occurs just four days before his expected confirmation as the CHP’s presidential candidate.

• 19 March 2025: In a massive early-morning operation, İmamoğlu is detained at his residence on charges including "forming a criminal organisation" and "corruption."

• 23 March 2025: A court orders the formal arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu. He is transferred to Marmara (Silivri) Prison.

Mid to Late 2025: The Indictment and New Charges

• 16 July 2025: In a separate "insult" case, İmamoğlu is sentenced to 1 year and 5 months in prison for allegedly insulting public officials.

• 26 October 2025: New charges of "political espionage" are added to his file after he provides a formal statement from prison.

• 11 November 2025: The massive 3,740-page İBB indictment is released to the public. It names 402 defendants (105 of whom are imprisoned) and labels İmamoğlu as the "leader of a criminal organisation."

• 25 November 2025: The Istanbul 40th High Criminal Court accepts the indictment.

Early 2026: Pre-Trial Developments

• 13 December 2025: The court sets the first hearing for 9 March 2026. Notably, the court estimates a maximum trial duration of 12.5 years (4,600 days).

• January 2026: Özgür Özel, Chairman of the CHP, announces that a key "secret witness" in the İBB case has withdrawn all testimony.

• 16 February 2026: A hearing for the "forgery of documents" (diploma) case is held in Silivri; İmamoğlu delivers a defiant speech, calling the process a "written script."

• 3 March 2026: The court issues a restrictive order for the 9 March hearing, limiting attendance to 25 journalists and only three lawyers per defendant.

The Current Situation (6 March 2026)

The 9 March trial is regarded as the "main case," where prosecutors are seeking a cumulative sentence of between 828 and 2,352 years for İmamoğlu on charges ranging from rigging public tenders and bribery to "founding an organisation with the intent to commit crimes."