The third hearing in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Case continues: After the statements of witnesses and complainants are completed, the detainees will request release.

The third hearing of the IMM case, in which 436 defendants, 46 of whom are detained, including the elected Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, continues today in the new courtroom in Silivri.

Within the scope of the third hearing, which started on Monday last week, it was decided to take the statements of 69 complainants, witnesses and secret witnesses.

To date, the statements of 47 people, including two secret witnesses Gürgen and Zeytin, have been completed. It is not yet clear whether secret witnesses İlke and Martı will be heard in court this week.

This week, after the statements of witnesses and complainants, as well as the statements of secret witnesses, will be taken, requests for the release of 46 detained people will also be received. After İmamoğlu makes his final request for release, the court will announce its interim decision regarding detention.

11.45 - HEARING STARTED

While the detainees were brought into the hall with applause, IMM Deputy President Nuri Aslan was also seen in the audience.

After the court panel took its place, the first person heard as a witness on the podium was lawyer Didem Kılıç.