A defence hearing for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu began on 6 July, more than a year after he was arrested in March 2025, according to a joint statement from the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and two members of the European Parliament.
İmamoğlu, described in the statement as a leading opposition figure, is taking part in the main defence hearing from 6 to 8 July, and is also due to attend two other hearings on 6 July linked to separate cases against him, the CoR stated on Monday.
The signatories said they were following the proceedings closely and repeated their call for Turkish courts to release İmamoğlu and other detained mayors.
İmamoğlu was named the 2026 laureate of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, given by the European Committee of the Regions, the City of Gdańsk and ICORN. ICORN is an international network that supports writers and artists at risk.
They said İmamoğlu faces the prospect of more than 2,000 years in prison.
Claims of wider pressure on local officials
Local democracy in Turkey has been deteriorating, with about 45 democratically elected opposition mayors and local officials detained, arrested or suspended since the opposition won the 2024 local elections, the statement said.
Six new arrests were reported last month, it added.
The statement also noted that some mayors had switched party under political pressure, affecting a growing number of municipalities and millions of voters.
The joint statement was issued by Jelena Drenjanin, chair of the European Committee of the Regions’ working group on relations with Türkiye, and by European Parliament members Nacho Sánchez Amor and Magdalena Adamowicz.
