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An Istanbul court has imposed arbitrary restrictions on lawyers, journalists, and members of the public seeking to follow the trial of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Human Rights Watch reported on March 23, 2026. The mayor and 406 municipal officials have been on trial since March 9 on what HRW describes as politically motivated corruption charges.
What Is Happening in the Courtroom
The trial is taking place at the Marmara Prison courthouse in Silivri, 70 kilometres from Istanbul city centre — a location that already limits access for ordinary citizens. The courtroom itself is described as the size of a sports hall, yet the presiding judge has progressively restricted who may enter.
On March 16, the chief judge postponed a hearing after three CHP members of parliament — who are also lawyers — refused to move from lawyers' benches to the back of the court. A subsequent written order limited attendance to defendants, three lawyers per defendant, one relative per defendant, and media. Lawyers wishing to observe without representing defendants were excluded entirely.
Journalists have been relegated to the far back corner of the courtroom — a location HRW describes as a "blind spot" from which off-microphone exchanges between defendants and judges cannot be heard. Journalists have filed written petitions requesting to be relocated to empty side benches, but the court has not acted on them.
Why This Matters: The Right to a Public Trial
Under the Turkish Constitution and in line with international law, court hearings are open to the public. The European Court of Human Rights has confirmed that public access is an essential component of the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Türkiye is a party. Restrictions on access may only be imposed in narrow circumstances related to public morality or national security — neither of which applies here.
The Turkish Constitutional Court itself ruled in 2023 that public trials are a constitutional requirement. HRW notes that over the past year Turkish authorities have also targeted journalists covering the İmamoğlu investigation and related lawsuits against opposition CHP party leadership.
The fundamental principle that justice must be seen to be done requires access for journalists, lawyers, and the public, especially when elected officials are on trial and the proceedings are of such public interest.
Benjamin Ward, Deputy Europe and Central Asia Director, Human Rights Watch
Background
Ekrem İmamoğlu was the elected mayor of Istanbul and a leading figure in the Republican People's Party (CHP), the main opposition to President Erdogan's AKP. His prosecution has been widely seen by opposition figures, civil society, and international observers as politically motivated. HRW is calling on the Istanbul 40th Assize Court to guarantee effective access for journalists and the public to all hearings in this case.
Source: Human Rights Watch — Türkiye: Impeded Access to Mayor's Trial
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