Imamoğlu Seeks Kılıçdaroğlu's Testimony from Witness Stand in Silivri

In the 99th hearing of the IMM Trial held in the courthouse at Silivri Prison, attended by 436 defendants—53 of them in custody—Ekrem Imamoğlu completed the second section of his defense and formally petitioned the court to hear former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as a witness.

Imamoğlu directly objected to the allegation in the indictment of "seizing the CHP." Arguing that Kılıçdaroğlu must personally testify regarding accusations over how the CHP Istanbul Provincial Building was acquired, Imamoğlu criticized the former chairman in sharp language for remaining silent on the matter: "Right now he comments on everything, but he cannot say two words about the provincial building allegation."

The trial represents a first in Turkish political history: this case, encompassing Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality executives and party members, ranks among the largest local government trials of recent years in terms of defendant numbers. The same courthouse at Silivri previously heard the Ergenekon and Balyoz trials between 2008 and 2012, which were similarly large in defendant lists.

The court has not yet announced its decision on whether Kılıçdaroğlu will be summoned to testify.