İmamoğlu Ejected From Corruption-Trial Courtroom on Day of NATO Summit

On the 64th hearing day of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality corruption trial, held July 8, 2026 — the second day of the NATO summit in Ankara — jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was removed from the courtroom after protesting the time limit imposed on his defense. İmamoğlu told the court, 'With the leaders of the entire world present in Turkey, in Ankara, how and to whom will you explain that Ekrem İmamoğlu is being silenced?' His lawyers called the ejection 'arbitrary and contrary to law,' and the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into his courtroom remarks. The same session saw the court release six of the 414 co-defendants, including Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney, reducing the detained total from 59 to 53. İmamoğlu, in custody since March 2025, faces up to 2,430 years across 142 charges; CHP leader Özgür Özel called the trial 'a sham.'