99th hearing in İBB case: İmamoğlu continues defense at Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court

At the 99th hearing of the İBB case being tried at Istanbul's 33rd Heavy Penal Court, suspended Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu continued his defense. The hearing took place in a courtroom across from Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution.

İmamoğlu began his defense by offering condolences for a 14-year-old child who died after being electrocuted in Fatih, and noted that Istanbul had experienced one of its heaviest rainfalls since 1986. Pointing out that the city's population exceeded 6 million slightly in 1986 but surpassed 15.5 million by 2019, İmamoğlu identified the opening of stream beds and water basins to construction as the structural cause of the disaster.

At the hearing, 436 defendants, 53 of whom are in detention, were present, including Beylikdüzü Municipality Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık and Media Inc. Board Chairman Murat Ongun. New Party Chairman Özgür Özel and numerous parliamentarians were in the courtroom as observers; İmamoğlu's father Hasan İmamoğlu and his wife Dilek İmamoğlu were also present.

Özel stated before the hearing in Silivri that the defense was being ignored, recalling allegations about KİPTAŞ offices and mobile phones that were not included in the indictment. İmamoğlu's defense is expected to be completed Friday at noon; cross-examination and lawyer defenses will follow.