Afət Ziyadqızı
The judicial process concerning Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu continues in Istanbul.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the fifth hearing of the case, held at the Istanbul 59th Criminal Court of First Instance, was attended by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and his legal defense team.
The proceedings, which took place in a courtroom located at the Silivri Marmara Penal Institution, were attended by CHP Group Chairman Ozgur Ozel, Deputy Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Nuri Aslan, members of Imamoglu's family, and numerous observers.
During the session, the presiding judge announced that the decision from the 5th Administrative Court regarding the diploma has been entered into the case file, and the court is currently awaiting the finalization of that ruling. The hearing proceeded with the defense arguments presented by Imamoglu.
The indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stems from a complaint filed in September 2024 alleging that Imamoglu's diploma is fraudulent. The document specifically questions the accreditation of the University College of Northern Cyprus (UCNC), where Imamoglu reportedly studied before transferring to Istanbul University, noting that the institution was not recognized by the Higher Education Council (YOK) in 1990.
The prosecution has charged Imamoglu with "forgery of official documents," seeking a prison sentence ranging from 2 years and 6 months to 8 years and 9 months, alongside the restriction of certain political rights. This case has drawn significant public attention due to Imamoglu's prominent role in Turkish politics as the mayor of the country's largest city.
