The Silivri District Governor’s Office has introduced a ban on protests and activities around Marmara Prison ahead of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) trial, which is set to begin on 9 March. Certain activities in the vicinity of the prison have been restricted between 1–31 March.

Ahead of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) trial to be held on Monday at the Marmara Penal Execution Institution in Silivri, a ban has been imposed on protests and activities around the prison. With the decision taken by the Silivri District Governor’s Office, certain events in the prison campus and its surroundings have been banned between 1–31 March 2026.

According to the decision taken the day before the trial—in which the detained Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and CHP’s presidential candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu, is being tried—assemblies and demonstration marches, press statements, and interviews have been banned within a 1-kilometre radius from the wire fence boundary of the prison campus.

As reported by journalist Mustafa Kadir Mercan, actions such as "assemblies and demonstration marches, press statements and interviews, filming with cameras and mobile phones, displaying placards or banners, chanting slogans, setting up tents and stands, and arriving at the courtroom area in symbolic clothing" have been banned within a 1-kilometre radius of the prison campus wire fence boundary.

Within the scope of the decision, it was also stated that traffic controls will be carried out in the region and recordings will be taken by drone for security purposes.

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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

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."