Cumhuriyet reports from Silivri: Day 73 of Istanbul municipality trial as Necati Özkan and Mehmet Pehlivan seek release

Necati Özkan opened the day’s proceedings with a direct appeal for release, saying his 532 days in detention had gone beyond pretrial detention and become punishment. He ended his statement by saying he had liquidated the company he had run for 42 years, dismissed its staff and paid their compensation.

“Enough already. It is really enough. I am requesting release,” Özkan said. He argued that evidence and witness accounts showed he had played no role in the alleged data leak under the case’s Action 13 allegations.

Özkan said the prosecution nevertheless sought to punish him under a different type of offense, which he described as a legal error and serious injustice. He also pointed to the alleged leak involving the İBB Hanem application, saying he had been held at Kocaeli No. 2 Prison when it allegedly occurred in May 2025.

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532 days in detention has long gone beyond detention and unfortunately turned into outright punishment and severe oppression.

Addressing allegations under Action 4, Özkan referred to petitions he sent to prosecutors in July and August 2025 and more than 200 pages of evidence submitted to the court. He argued that changes in the statements of businessman Adem Kameroğlu, who had given testimony implicating him, resulted from the evidence Özkan had presented.

The case involves 414 defendants, including elected Istanbul Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu. Release requests from detained defendants are continuing this week. Detained Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık sought release the previous day, while İmamoğlu is expected to speak last on Thursday. The panel is then expected to announce an interim ruling on the requests.

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Enough already. It is really enough. I am requesting release.