Ekrem Imamoglu corruption trial faces Istanbul court restrictions on public and media access

An Istanbul court has limited access for the public and media to the mass corruption trial involving Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, while a prominent rights group said the decision breaches Turkish and European law.

Imamoglu, seen as the leading political rival to President Tayyip Erdogan, has been on trial since March 9 alongside 406 municipal officials and others on corruption charges that critics describe as politically motivated.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the court at the Silivri complex, west of Istanbul, has arbitrarily limited entry for observers, opposition lawmakers, and relatives following a series of tense disputes over seating. Reporters have been relegated to a back corner of the courtroom where they cannot adequately see or hear the proceedings.

The rights group warned that shutting the public out of the hearings violates Turkish constitutional protections and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Limiting scrutiny, HRW added, further erodes confidence in a trial already viewed with deep suspicion by the opposition.