The trial in the case of the university diploma of the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested in March, which began today in Istanbul after clashes between citizens and the gendarmerie, will continue in December, the Turkish private television NTV reported, quoted by BTA.
The trial is being conducted on charges that Imamoglu's diploma is forged.
The second hearing in the case began today after tension between a group of citizens who wanted to enter the hall and the gendarmerie. Some of the gathered citizens overcame the barriers and reached the front of the courtroom, and clashes broke out when the gendarmerie tried to turn them back.
After a two-hour argument, the hearing nevertheless began, and in court, Imamoglu again rejected the charges against him, describing them as "political".
In March, Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu's diploma, citing irregularities during his transfer from a university in Northern Cyprus. Shortly thereafter, Turkish prosecutors launched an investigation against him on charges of forging documents, seeking up to eight years and nine months in prison and a ban on Imamoglu's political activities. The first hearing in the case was in September, at which the court did not make a final decision and postponed the trial to October 20.
Today, the court hearing was postponed again and the trial will continue on December 8.
Despite his detention and removal from the mayor's post, Imamoglu was elected in March as the official candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for the 2028 presidential election in Turkey. However, the cancellation of his university degree prevents him from running in the presidential election.