As NATO leaders gathered in Ankara for a high-profile summit, prominent Turkish opposition figure Ekrem İmamoğlu appeared in court for three separate hearings on the same day, highlighting ongoing political and judicial tensions in Turkey. İmamoğlu, the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul and a leading presidential candidate from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), faces charges including political espionage, corruption, and possessing a fraudulent university degree. If convicted, he could face a prison term exceeding 2,300 years.

The hearings took place at the Silivri prison and courthouse complex outside Istanbul, Europe’s largest prison facility. Defendants, lawyers, and spectators were required to move repeatedly between courtrooms, underscoring the complexity and scale of the cases. Supporters in the courtroom greeted İmamoğlu with cheers, calling him “President İmamoğlu,” while his wife offered him a hand which he kissed during proceedings.

İmamoğlu addressed the court, describing his struggle as one for justice and the republic. “It’s been a very interesting day,” he remarked, acknowledging the unusual circumstance of facing multiple hearings simultaneously within the same building. The main corruption case against him involves an indictment nearly 4,000 pages long, with over 400 defendants tied to the proceedings. Last week, the court imposed a nine-day deadline for the defense to conclude its submissions. Compounding his challenges, İmamoğlu’s lead defense attorney has been detained.

Observers and international advocacy groups have criticized the trial's conduct. Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Union’s rapporteur on Turkey, described the judicial process as lacking even the appearance of fairness, and expressed concern that the pace and timing of the hearings coincided with the NATO summit, potentially overshadowing the trial’s significance. The Pact of Free Cities, an international network promoting democracy, condemned the restrictions on İmamoğlu’s legal defense as violations of fundamental rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory.

Turkey’s broader crackdown on dissent has intensified in recent weeks ahead of the NATO summit. Several journalists, academics, and lawyers have been detained, including stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş, who was arrested on accusations that include insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Göktaş’s recent performances have attracted millions of views on YouTube. Hundreds of other officials from the CHP also face legal actions, and the party’s chair, Özgür Özel, was recently removed from his position through a court ruling, a move critics say aims to weaken the opposition before upcoming elections currently slated for May 2028.

Despite these domestic developments, NATO allies have largely refrained from publicly addressing Turkey’s internal political and judicial struggles during the summit. Instead, discussions have centered on strengthening security cooperation with Turkey, recognized as a key regional military power with a growing defense industry. Nevertheless, international observers emphasize that scrutiny of Turkey’s rule of law and democratic practices remains critical alongside the diplomatic engagements unfolding in Ankara.