Turkey: Ekrem İmamoğlu Trial Begins with 402 Defendants

The trial for the 'Istanbul Municipality' case begins in Silivri, Turkey, with 402 defendants, including former mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. İmamoğlu faces 142 charges and a potential prison sentence of up to 2,352 years.

The charges include forming a criminal organization, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. Pro-government media report damages exceeding 160 billion lira, while the opposition claims the trial aims to weaken Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Ekrem İmamoğlu stated that Turkey is undergoing a difficult test for democracy and that the trial is an attempt to circumvent the will of the people.